


Catch 22

by ZiziTopsider



Series: Death's Blossom [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Parenting, But for the most part it's slightly off lore, Child Abuse, Drug Abuse, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/M, I made my own names up for the Petras clan since we don't know too much about them, Main lore will be somewhat applied here, Masturbation in Shower, My First Work in This Fandom, Oral Sex, Please Don't Kill Me, Reaper | Gabriel Reyes Redemption, Rough Sex, Smut, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-17 21:57:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 73,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21500437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiziTopsider/pseuds/ZiziTopsider
Summary: Catch 22: The beauty of it all. Everything is not what it seems, and that’s what makes life so special. This is the story of two star crossed lovers who struggle through life's ups and downs and how to live with their pasts while building a future together.
Relationships: Reaper | Gabriel Reyes & Original Female Character(s)
Series: Death's Blossom [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2113182
Comments: 26
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first fanfiction for Overwatch. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading!

Early Friday evening - day one of three of mandatory relaxation, groups of the best and brightest gathered around for their ‘day off’ with good friends, good drink and even better food. Chatter ebbed and flowed, sometimes bursting altogether in contagious fits of laughter started by everyone’s favorite German, or songs piped up from the spunky English woman that bled throughout. At first, it was hard to relax; a decent few of them had been told they were mission essential, and to always be ready to jump into action. So when the invitation arrived at their desks and in their inboxes to join them for a special event hosted by the big Director himself, all expenses paid and with seemingly no catch - there’s always one, they just didn’t know what yet- they found it hard to agree. Soon, one after another, after constant reassurance from some hopeful cheerleaders on behalf of the famed person himself, decided to go with it. What could really go wrong? They were in gorgeous Malta. Ships were on the ready whenever they needed it, if they needed it. Headquarters wasn’t totally abandoned: while a lot of mission essential and specialists attended, others who could do their job and then some stayed behind to keep things under control. 

This seemed too good to be true, but after a few drinks, no one seemed to be worried about it anymore.

“Alright _latria mu_ , You’ll be the guest of honor! Your father has been planning this for a month, but of course I came up with this idea to get everyone out of the office. They’re going to get one look at you and just see the beautiful girl that you are thanks to my help!” Fussing over a stray hair, reverting to it’s natural coily goodness, Gamila Petras went over the final glamorous touches. Adjusting hair, dusting off too heavily applied blush, straightening out a shirt and gently correcting posture, the poster child of their idea of perfection: brains and beauty, but more of one than the other, Bria Petras took the abuse with a smile on her face. Knowing the quick and sharp shift in attitudes that could happen if she spoke out against her adoptive mother, seeing all of the pressure they brought upon themselves for a self congratulatory party they wanted to throw in order to make themselves boost higher on a platform built on glass, popsicle sticks, klonopin and merlot, the best way to handle this is to agree. If you agree, it’s done and over with sooner than later, and you might be able to escape with some hearing retained. Not agreeing… That isn’t an option. 

“Gami, are you done yet? She’s already been taken care of by your glam squad and personally dressed by your stylist, leave the girl alone and let’s go!” Swaying where he stood, Alesandro Petras wanted this to be over almost immediately. Even though he came up with the idea, he never knew it would cost him so much just to make an even better impression after mixed reviews from his last stunt. Apparently, getting drunk while your two angels got ready wasn’t a good move, but he’s on vacation. If people don’t like it, they’ll just have to get over it.

“Alright, but if she’s not perfect, it’ll be on you. Well, this is it, Bri. Don’t disappoint us.” Slipping a party favor in between her artificial smile, downing it with a glass of champagne, then adjusting her dress, she took her spot next to her husband, lacing her arm with his, placing a lovely and calculated hand above her tie to him, presenting the world with picture perfection. 

_“Oh sure. Don’t disappoint the people who won’t remember your name by the end of the night… got it.”_

\--

The crowd went from bustling laughter and conversation to meeting ready silence. With eyes all on them, the Director and his wife walked in first, smiling and waving to a few faces in front of them. Soon polite smiles went to raised brows and curious murmurs. With trained grace, the trophy child, the prodigal daughter walked in, sliding in between her parents with carefully planned side hug to her mother and a perfectly plastic kiss to her father’s cheek, she stood before them, giving a polite curtsy. Her foot wasn’t angled properly. She’d be scolded about it later, but the stares from everyone was more than worth it. Taking his cue, Alesandro placed himself just a step ahead of Bria, guiding his wife to her side.

“Guests, _friends_. Thank you so much for coming to this getaway! I hope you all will be so kind and welcome our darling daughter Bria to this event. She’s a bit shy, but can hold conversations with the best of them!” Jaws dropped. The polite silence quickly dipped into hushed conversations between them. Words like ‘daughter’, ‘adopted’, ‘affair kid’ and the like were picked up in the waves and hit her ears like a brick. The weight of their inquiries made her nervous, but taking the semi forced guidance from her father’s arm, she stumbled forward into the first group. 

An endless sea of people, never ending questions and coos from confused people gave her more than enough to know that this public life would be harder than she thought. Even at the dismay of her mother at her apparent ‘mistakes’ that she made, she seemed to charm everyone she spoke to, whether it be about projects she worked on in school, her politeness, or just being an easy listener. At the first opportunity she got, Bria found a table hidden in the back, right at the edge of the deck where the gathering was held, facing the Meditteranean and the soothing sounds of waves crashing ashore. Soda in hand, she finally let out the tensely held breath that made her stomach sore. Rolling her shoulders, elongating her back with delightful cracks, then finally slumping in the chair, she relaxed.

Relaxation didn’t seem to be on the agenda, since a surprise plate and her soul attempting to escape her body from the person who found her hiding spot. From being flustered at being caught relaxing - something her mother would have a heart attack over - to another reason entirely was enough to return her to reality. A warm chuckle and a casual chair pull later, Gabriel Reyes, aka the hero of the Omnic crisis, broke her from her silent confusion.

“Trying to avoid the bustle of things?”

_“Okay, he said something. You’re supposed to respond. What did he say again?”_

“Uh… hello? You okay there? Did your mom give you a PR mint?”

“Shit, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to space out there.”

That chuckle. Warm, hearty, full smile and belly deep. Something about it made her heart turn to mush. 

“Don’t worry about it, kid. I get it. Sometimes being the center of attention is truly daunting.” Running a hand through her hair, Bria pulled her favorite locks to the forefront, running it through her hands. She looked around the table. Everywhere but his warm face. Focusing on anything but those beautiful hazel eyes. Were they green right now? Brown? Golden? Are they glowing? What is even happening right now? Did he call her kid? _“Did he really just call me kid? I mean, I know I’m young but how… what?”_

“Hey, I brought you an empanada. Figured all of that posing like a doll and buttering up all those rolls out there would drain you mentally and physically. Let me know if you need anything else though. Your parents are more than likely… “indisposed” at the moment to be a good conversation, let alone helpful in any way. I’ll be at the ping pong table pissing people off.”

With that, the archangel of good food and emotion stirring was off. Staring doe eyed the entire time, passing the gaze from him to the delicious meat pastry in front of her, she only managed a clumsy nod and a silent thanks, sliding the plate in front of her. From where she sat, she watched him and a tall blonde, most likely Jack Morrison, poke and prod at two men battling it out over a plastic ball and paddles. 

The food was delicious, the soda fizzed just right, and it was enough pep that Bria needed to slide from her hiding spot to carefully place herself far enough from the group to watch on with polite curiosity. Most of the people in attendance have dispersed to their rooms, the bar or just out to the beach. The group left sat around a fire pit, listening in on the giant man in the middle with a little girl curled up in his arms. He told a story of his teenage years: something along the lines of how he cleared out a whole bar full of scoundrels and that is how he was recruited into the Crusaders. They seemed to have heard that story thousands of times before, but they didn’t seem to care. Jack just so happened to see Bria from the corner of his eye and turned his attention her way.

“Hey Bria! Come pull up a seat. Reinhardt was just telling us about how he punched 50 men at once!”

“Ah, liebling, it wasn’t 50 men at once, it was about 3, or maybe 10! I can’t remember. The mind loves to play tricks with the memories.”

Seemingly stuck in the mud, she pondered the possibilities until that warm smile pulled her from her thoughts altogether. “Alright, as long as everyone doesn’t mind me being here.”

Sliding in between Jack and Gabe, she found a plate full of s’mores sitting on her lap and a blanket draped over her shoulders. With a pat, Jack smiled at her, trying to give her as much comfort as possible while Gabriel stole one of the delicious melted snacks from her plate. As the night concluded, Bria leaned against Jack, lulled to sleep by their soothing voices. With a two to one win in rock-paper-scissors, she was taken back to her room in Gabriel’s arms with Jack leading the way. She was in a deep sleep, getting much needed rest. 

“She seems like a complete opposite of the two of them. How did they even manage to work this out? Aren’t they both-”

Interrupting him, Jack let out a curt cough, nodding at the wait staff that passed them by. Picking up on the cue, Gabriel adjusted her in his arms, covering her more with the gifted blanket.

“Yes, I know. Knowing Petras, he probably bored the adoption agency enough with conversation and money to get her. Let’s just hope she doesn’t turn out to be just like them.”

“You’re right. Hopefully she keeps that head of hers straight.”

Making it to the presidential suite, the men noticed the door was cracked open. They went from relaxed to business in seconds. Jack pulled a small pistol from his holster, watching and listening for any suspicious noises. Gabriel cradled Bria in one arm, slipping his hunting knife from it’s resting spot on his belt loop. As they approached the door, Bria awoke, staring up at Gabriel’s stressed face. She turned to Jack, watching as he managed to slip into the room with the nimble steps of a stalking panther and chuckled.

“They’re in there passed out. Dad’s gonna be on the toilet with his phone in hand and probably a spilled Cuban sandwich and chips in his lap. Mom’s going to be sprawled out on the couch. One shoe in the door area, the other on the coffee table. Also, be mindful of her hair clips. She’s very embarrassed if people find out that gorgeous Greek hair isn’t real. She’s been shedding hair like crazy thanks to her dietary habits.” With a polite tap, she was let down. Opening the door wide enough for Gabe, she rubbed a hand through her hair, messed with sleep and the blanket, she found the comforting strand that she loved after kicking her wedges off. 

Sure enough, everything she said was true, but being the over protective person that he was, Jack gave the room a full sweep anyway. Bria draped a blanket over her mother, fixing the pillow under her head to prop her up so when she grew sick, she wouldn’t choke in her sleep, then slid a trash can by her. She shut the bathroom door, leaving only the shower light on so her father wouldn’t be jarred from the brightness when he finally recovered. With a sad smile, she turned to Gabriel, noting the torn expression.

“Don’t worry. It’s not always like this, thankfully. It’s annoying, but they are usually fine by the time I wake up. One time, I found them draped over the balcony. Thankfully I had enough forethought to tie their ankles to the rods on the opposite ends of the railing so they wouldn’t fall over.” 

His heart couldn’t break any harder. These two weren’t fit to be parents. They were going to ruin her. Bria rubbed her hand at the nape of her neck, trying to laugh off the shame. What could she do, though? As far as the world knew, she didn’t exist. She was known at school, but no one really believed her when she spoke about her parents due to a confidentiality agreement signed by the administrators. Apparently, if word got out that Petras had a kid, they would be target for kidnapping and possible assassination attempts. In that case, it made her a liar and a loser, which wasn’t helpful to her cause of blending in at all.

She did what she was best at: rolled with the punches that life gave her. Soon, she would be out of their hair and in school in the States. Somewhere like MIT, somewhere far and very different from her parents, but most importantly, far away from them.

With a grunt, Gabriel grabbed Jack by the arm, guiding him to the door. “If you need anything, let us know. We’ll be two doors down.”

“Sure. Thank you so much again for taking me back to my room. I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful night you two!”

“Same to you, Bria. Goodnight.”

With a click, silence settled over the two in the hallway. The few feet to their respective doors was very long. Left in the wake of the situation, allowing the weight of the event lift from their shoulders, neither of them spoke, until they did.

“What in the entire hell is wrong with them?” Jack all but blurted out exhaustingly. Gabe shrugged, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it from his shorts.

“I could give you a run down if you’d like.” Not even acknowledging the sass and smirk he could just feel beating down the side of his face, Jack leaned his head against his door. “What I do know is that we can’t let Bria run down the same path as them.”

“Oh, so now we are babysitting the Director and his daughter? What are we, fairy godparents? Do we get magic wands and wave our hands in the air?”

With a shrug, Jack decided today was too much. Giving a nod to his best friend, he retired to his room, hoping a shower and a healthy drink would erase the night momentarily. Gabriel entered his own room, letting the heavy door slide shut and lock. With a slow stride, he began to unbutton his shirt, tossing it on the chair and flopped on the couch, staring at the intricate designs on the ceiling.

\--

Gamila moaned on the couch, moving from her slouched position to a laying one, grasping at air a few times before landing on the trash can, puking up appetizers and wine. Bria tied her mother’s thin hair into a ponytail, smoothing it out and checking to see if it was loose enough for her. With a rather sharp slap, she stopped, retreating to her room.

Kicking off her shoes and clothes, she slid on silk pajamas provided by her mother under the strict rule that “If one is kidnapped, or steps out, they must always be dressed well. The public is always watching. A well dressed woman is a well spoken of woman” or something to that effect. She was lucky the pajamas were comfortable. It was either pajamas or a scratchy onesie.

Coming out of the bathroom refreshed and ignoring the moans from the living room, the teen slid into her bed, thinking back on the day. Even though they were a whole ass mess, her parents weren’t too bad. She met wonderful people, and made rather good connections that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to get had she stayed in the foster system. Somewhat aloof parents were parents, and she is thankful for that.

Feeling the pull of sleep wrapping her up and closer to it’s chest, she blinked a few times, flashes of the bonfire, s’mores and that gorgeous smile kept her warm, giving her gentle dreams for the first time in weeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't always so black and white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning: There's abuse and aggression from the parent to child, so just be prepared if that's not your thing.

“Bria, dear? What are you doing?”

Calling from downstairs, Gamila paced around at the landing, checking her watch intermittently. Bria tried her best to calm her hair down as best as she could, but with unruly curls, they made the rules that one had to abide to. Deciding to deal with it later, she wrapped it in a messy bun, tucking it around itself to give the appearance that it was accidentally well done. Tossing a matching flower head wrap that coordinated so well with her sun dress, she grabbed the remaining items she needed and headed out the door, rushing down the stairs, much to her mother’s dismay.

Not even hiding her disgust with her looks, her mother roughly grabbed her arm, dragging the helpless girl out the door to the car. Today was supposed to be a casual Sunday. By casual, one thought that it would be staying indoors with pajamas and a few cheesy movies, but by Gamila’s standards, it meant hair, facials and manicures. Trying her best to tune her screaming out, Bria tucked headphones in her ears while Gamila sat in the front, screaming about how messy her hair looked, how dare she wear sneakers with a lovely dress, and how shameful she made the family look.

This was a usual day in the Petras household. Alesandro would either be at the office, or out of the country to do press events for Overwatch with his secretary for some reason. Everyone else knew why she went, but her mother, ever the blissful, out of this world high on the latest ‘anxiety’ medication figured she was there to do his dirty work and keep him in touch. Hell, the poor woman wouldn’t know her husband was cheating even if the man told her himself.

Watching the world go by, Bria thought of days where the yelling would stop. Days when she would be free from the stress of worrying if her parents killed themselves or if she would be sent back to the group home. She thought of the future often, how would it turn out? Would she be able to get used to living in a big city with peers her age? Would she finish school on time? Then, she thought of Gabriel. She wondered if it was okay to write him when she started school. Maybe he would come visit with Jack and say it was a recruiting event while they toured Boston arm in arm. Maybe they would leave and visit Lake George, New York. They could pretend they were business tycoons looking to buy up hotels to prospective clients. Jack would do all of the talking, Gabe would seal the deal and she would warm up the potential clients who needed a little bit more of a push. 

She must have been smiling incorrectly, because the slap that connected to her cheek and knocked her head into the glass shook her from her thoughts and brought her to reality. Headphones scattered to the floor of the car. The driver, not one to get into any of this, passed her a sorrowful glance while another vengeful set of eyes burned into her own.

“Why aren’t you listening to me when I talk to you? If you paid attention to what I said instead of whatever whore music you listen to, you’d be a better daughter.” Incredulous to the thought that anything was better than the sound of her own voice, Gamila shook with a rage. Bria turned her eyes to her hands in her lap, pinching her fingers together tightly to stop the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

“Sorry, ma’am. I’ll pay more attention to you.” Crying wasn’t accepted. Touching a wound was seen as disobedience. It was corrections to incorrect behavior. If it was brushed, rubbed or grabbed at in any way meant that you disagreed with her actions and that is not okay. Seeming soothed by her cowardice, Gamila turned back to the driver, giving a sly smile. “That’s how you raise proper children. Discipline as strict as the lines on the road.”

The rest of the car ride was silent.

Arriving at the hair salon, Bria did her best to cover the bruise forming on her cheek from the bony hand print forming. Gamila fluffed her bangs, twisting them around as best as she could in the mirror. With a glare, Bria fixed her smile. It could have been better, but she studied her mother’s face long enough to know what she should do. With a nod, the two were let out of the vehicle by the driver, then looped arms to walk in for their pampering. 

The stylist tried her best to give Bria a hairstyle that suited her age, but it was quickly shut down. Her esthetician placed a cold compress to the bruise on her cheek, then gave her a relaxing facial, being careful to avoid the area. Nails were quick and simple - a fill, ballerina slippers pink nails and absolutely no rhinestones or other designs were to be done. 

Soon, it was all over, and the day soon turned into mid afternoon. After a lunch of a salad for Gamila and a glass of water for Bria, they made their way to the headquarters to pay her father a visit. When they made it to his office, Gamila made herself right at home, grabbing a glass of wine and resting on the couch. Bria, trying her best to ignore her stomach, stood by the bookshelf in his office, looking at the awards and pictures that were decorated tastefully. All of the novels that were there were the classics that any avid reader would adore, but they stood proudly on the shelf untouched.

“Ales, doesn’t Bria just look wonderful? Her hair is just so gorgeous. Not better than mine, of course, but it makes her look just so lovely.” 

“Huh? Oh, of course, yes she looks lovely.”

She smiled a strained one, but then quickly recovered when she felt a pair of eyes on her. “Thank you, daddy. Your compliments make my heart soar.”

Looking up from his papers for once, he studied her face, noticing one cheek puffier than the other. His thoughtful smile turned sour. With his temper rising, he all but threw the stack of papers on the desk, rising from his chair. 

“Gamila, what did I tell you about hitting her? If she goes to school with bruises, we will be investigated. We can’t afford to have any negative inquiries about our family!”

“Maybe if she wasn’t a disappointment, I wouldn’t have to fix her as much as I do.”

There it was. The first of many arguments. When they started, it took hours before they calmed down. Her parents were at each other’s throats, screaming and throwing things in their general area. Not wanting to get mixed up in any of it, Bria snuck out of the room, though she could literally tell them both she was doing so, they wouldn’t care.

Arranged marriages sometimes didn’t work well.

Tunnel vision hit hard. As soon as she left the office, she all but ran out of the executive suite, heading to the elevators. From there she hit any button, wanting to get away as fast as she could. The doors opened halfway through its trip, letting in a very frustrated and exhausted Gabriel. All the frustrations from his day left the second he set eyes on the crumbling mess of a person in the elevator. Their eyes met, and then the waterworks started. As the doors shut, she let loose a wail that shocked him.

“Bria, what’s wrong? Are you okay? What happ-”

“I fucking hate those two!”

Falling to her knees, she couldn’t hold it in any more. Quick on his feet, Gabe pressed the button for his office floor, overriding wherever she haphazardly pressed to go to, then crouched down next to her as she sobbed. At first, he didn’t know what to do, unsure if he should try to calm her down or let her have her moment. The dings of the floor was the only other sound. As soon as it started, it stopped. Slowly at first, then completely once the doors opened. Standing to her feet, she wiped her tear stained face, not even chancing pity from him. As if on cue, they exited the elevator and walked to his office. Pointing to the deep forest green leather couch, Bria all but collapsed into the soft cushions. Gabriel passed her the box of tissues he kept on his desk, giving her time to collect herself before the gentle interrogation started.

With a deep breath, strained green eyes met stormy hazel ones.

“Talk to me, Bri.”

Hell, if she wasn’t a tear soaked mess, that nickname would warm her little heart, but that’s neither here nor there.

“She slapped me and he found out about it. They argued and I left. They’re probably having angry sex right now as we speak.” Shaking off the thought, the super soldier turned mock therapist poured his faux client a glass of water.

“God, I’m so sorry. Do you know why she did it? Were your headphones in again?”

She nodded, twisting the fabric of her dress in hands, trying to keep the chemically straightened hair as neat as possible. With a heavy sigh, he shook his head, passing her the glass. She took healthy gulps from it. Beanie in hand, Gabriel let his curls free, running a hand through the unruly tresses.

Bria nearly spilled water on herself. No matter how many times she’s seen his hair, it was as if she were seeing it for the first time.

“I would say try not to keep them in, but we all know her moods pass faster than cars in the Autobahn.” She chuckled and in turn made him smile. 

“Yeah, I figured she was done yelling, but the slap said otherwise. It’s like I can’t do anything right for her. I’m either overdoing things, or not doing enough.”

“Knowing her, you’ll never do anything right. She’s always been impossible to please. Once, Jack and I had to escort her to a party, but we almost dropped her off in the middle of nowhere. All she did was berate us on our clothes, the way we walked, spoke to her, anything she could tear down to make her feel better. She let one too many derogatory comments fly to Jack though. He wasn’t having it one bit. Make fun of his appearance all you want, he takes it in stride. Start commenting on his sexuality, though, and you’ll be in for a world of trouble.”

Quirking a brow, Bria pondered why that would be bad before it hit her like a freight train.

“Oh. Well, guess I learned something new today.”

“Wait, you mean… you didn’t know?”

Shaking her head no, Gabriel slapped his mouth, trying to suppress a chuckle. Of course she wouldn’t know. Poor thing barely notices things as is, let alone social cues. She blushed in embarrassment, twisting her hands around the hem of her dress a bit harder now.

“I thought he was just too focused on his work, but now everything makes sense. No wonder he’s always turned down any reporter or waitress who slipped him their number.” Moments where the three of them were in the cafeteria, or at the beach, even the movies. It all made sense. Jack just wasn’t looking for those cups of tea. “This is exciting! Wait, does that mean…”

She paused, turning her attention back to Gabriel. Mid sip of his own water, he stopped, then sputtered.

“Absolutely not. We’re just best friends. Besides, he wouldn’t be my type even if I were looking for that! He’s too… basic.”

Bria snorted, trying to hide her laughter behind her arm, but it all unraveled. Full belly laughter echoed in the office. Soon, she calmed to chuckles, taking in deep breaths to calm down once more. She liked coming to his office. It started two month ago. Her father brought her to the office because her mother was off to the “spa” for the weekend, and he needed to keep an eye on her. Not wanting to really pay her any mind, he called Jack and Gabriel to his office, assigning them both to “guard duty”, which was just watch Bria and keep her entertained. 

Once the awkward moments passed of them getting to know each other, Jack suggested a game of cards, but that turned into playing video games, old school movies and mall trips. They even picked her up on Saturdays to take her out to explore the city. It was strange for two supersoldiers to be with a teenager, but they ignored it.

When one of the men were on missions, she would spend time with one or the other. For a while, it seemed as if Gabe was always away. Jack always kept it casual, talking about his childhood and his days in the military prior to Overwatch, being very careful to leave out details he didn’t think she needed to know. 

The scary, the bad and the inhumane missions. The love of his life eventually leaving due to the pressures of being away. The time he was away on a mission and didn’t find out that his parents died until he got back as to not distract him. How some nights were spent curled up next to Gabriel when the SEP began to wreak its havoc on his body. 

No, she already shouldered so much. These things didn’t concern her. He wanted to keep it light with her. She deserved to hear good things and at least believe that the world was full of some good people. People who would stand up and defend her. She always came with a book or projects from school and he would help out with what he could, but most of the time he stood in fascination at the latest tech she developed in her spare time, or the outline for a paper she was working on.

Then one day, it was Gabe’s turn to “stand watch”. He’s never directly spent time with her outside of their combined time with Jack, and she was always so quiet. If it wasn’t for video games, he thought she would be clammed up on his couch reading until it was time for her to go home. They were mid game when she received a phone call. With a grimace, she answered the phone. It was her mother. 

Gamila took a trip to Bali and wanted to tell her about how every other woman there was more beautiful than she could ever be, telling Bria that her skin was too dark for anyone to ever find her attractive. She said that her hair was disgusting, too coily to even bother with maintaining. She even told her that she was too fat, her hips too wide and she should be thankful for them even considering her disgraceful self as a daughter. She continued her tirade, slurring over every curse and bemoan she had for her adopted daughter, then passed out. After a bit of silence, Bria disconnected the phone call.

The tension was thick in the air. Her voice cracked, trembling like the roads before a stampede. Gabriel’s eyebrows knit together in deep concern, putting the controller to his side.

“I’m sorry that you had to hear that. She’s normally okay about this, but she must have gotten into an argument with the guards or something. It’s just tension from the trip and them not listening correctly.”

Tears welled in her stormy green eyes, but she blinked them away, until she couldn't. With a choked sob, she tried to contain her emotions as best as she could. Then she looked at Gabriel and the wall cracked. They talked the rest of the time they had together that day, and every other time in between. From emails to texts, Gabe kept up with her, letting her know she could talk to him, even if he couldn’t respond. 

Today wasn’t any different. When she calmed down, they began an intense fighting game session, then switched to movies. 

Hours passed. Bria slept on the couch with one of his jackets covering her while Gabriel typed away at a mission report, adding notes to ask his agent later. A knock at the door came. Pressing the button, Bria’s guard walked in.

“I’m here to retrieve the young Miss. Her parent’s left already, but they told me to escort her home.”

On queue, she sat up, wiping the sleep from her eyes. With a stretch, Bria waved sleepily to Gabriel, dragging his coat back to where it was originally. “I’ll see you later Gabe. Don’t stay too late.”

He waved back, smiling until the door shut. Once it closed fully, he sat back in his chair. He tried to ignore the pain from his latest test, but it was becoming a bit tough to maintain. He wasn’t expecting to see anyone else in the office today, which is why he arranged his visit with Dr. O’Deiron today. With a groan, he leaned his head on the desk, holding his side tight. 

“Well, whatever she injected in this time didn’t work…”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Best. Prom. Ever.

The sounds of tinkering and soft old school rock echoed in the lab. Amongst weapons, computers and other things needing to be fixed up, Bria hung upside down inside of a dismantled omnic from the crisis. This particular unit was used for engineer students to study off of. For them, this was a way to learn how to properly repair, replace and possibly control if the time came for that to happen. For her, it was a chance to practice for college entrance exams.

She was on her final year of high school, and being a 17 year old with her mind directed on the future, she figured being on her toes for her entrance exams for MIT was the best thing to do. That is if she even gets accepted to the school. Besides, this was a nice distraction from being home. After begging for weeks, she finally got permission to go into the labs without supervision. Torbjorn wasn’t too pleased to have some kid run around his precious workstation, but after seeing the way Bria handled tools, he thought of his own daughter and gave in.

Flipping down from her position, she wiped the sweat from her forehead, scribbling notes on her holopad which thankfully understood the messy letters. She was cut off from her next word when a video call came in. With a smile, she picked up the call, positioning the screen towards the machine so she could work and talk.

“Hey Lena! How are you? Enjoying London?”

“Oh, it’s a blast! I’ll try to bring you something back. But I did have a question. I know your prom is coming up soon, and I saw this pretty dress that would totally suit you!” Bria pulled her head out of the panel she was working on, giving her friend a face full of attitude.

“I’m not going to my prom, Lena.”

“Why not? I thought everyone went to their prom.”

“Well, that’s not quite something I want to do. Besides, I don’t have a date, and I’d just stand awkwardly in the back. None of my classmates like me.” After a beat of silence, Lena sighed. Bria held her wrench in hand, trying to think of anything else to say. 

“Well, if you change your mind, I’ll take you out shopping myself and we can find you the perfect dress.”

“Alright. Well, I better get back to this. Send Em my love!”

After exchanging ending pleasantries, the call was done. The thought of going to prom was daunting. The thought of being locked in a hot ballroom with hundreds of her peers didn’t seem to say excitement to her. Besides, it’s all her mother could talk about, which made things worse. Things like “hairstyles” and “dresses” and “spiking the punch bowl so the party can really start” was thrown out. To most, prom was a good closing to the school year. A way to party and celebrate tests being done, school closing out and solidifying your reputation. All of her classmates buzzed with excitement about possible pranks and even what vehicle they would take to the dance. Bria listened with interest, but then she flustered.

Her reputation at school was unsteady. Coming in halfway through their junior year had the private academy buzzing. Everyone who attended was a child of some established family. Bankers, oil tycoons and politicians sent their children here. The entrance fee alone was astronomical, so she had to have come from money. Everyone was so curious about her parents, but just as she began to speak, she remembered that she wasn’t allowed to discuss who they were. Being teens though, hearing no wasn’t accepted. 

When she finally told them who her parents were, they laughed. The Petras family didn’t have any heirs, everyone knew that. Besides, they would have made a big announcement about it. Then while in lessons, she seemed to be the only one of them to answer questions and do so accurately, leaving the other students stunned. Teachers quickly found out that the lessons they taught would be too much for Bria, so they stopped giving her homework. When her classmates found out, they were furious.

A few weeks passed before the heat died down, but the damage was done. She never fully recovered.

School eventually became the same thing as home, a means to an end. Something you just had to do and lay low until she was able to leave. So prom was definitely out of the question. Drowning out her melancholy, she turned back to the defunct omnic, tinkering away at the machine.

-

As school came to a close for the day, Bria headed to her locker while others shuffled by. Placing her textbooks and pencil case inside, she shut the door and walked outside, waiting for her ride home. Normally, her father would send a limo to pick her up, but today a jeep rolled up. Thinking it was another student, she ignored it until someone called her name. Looking up from her phone, she didn’t fully recognize the person until he flashed a badge almost too quickly for anyone else to see but her.

Someone from headquarters came to get her today.

“Weird.”

She headed to the car, being let into the tinted jeep. Bria was on edge until she turned to her side and noticed a beaming brunette sitting next to her. Of course Lena wouldn’t let up on this prom deal.

“Bria, I’m not letting you miss one of the most important days of your young life. Your mom gave me permission to take you shopping at her specified stores, but gave you the choices of color. She wasn’t too keen on letting us go without her until I told her why, so we have to come back with something.” 

Bria grumbled, flopping her bag to the floor of the vehicle. Of course she still had to follow the rules even when she wasn’t with her. The two of them sat in silence as they raced off to the mall. Then, they missed their turn to the town center where she and her mother normally shopped. She turned to Lena, noting the almost smug smile on her face.

“Well, I said we had to come back with something, but it doesn’t have to be to your mother’s standards, now does it?”

She chuckled, sitting back a little more relaxed than before. Maybe dress shopping wouldn’t be too bad.

-

Hours flew by, and the search wasn’t going too well. Crepes in hand, the duo walked out of yet another store, noting that the selection was good, but it wasn’t right. Lena chatted away about her trip home, still dreamy about the dress that she saw that was just perfect. She didn’t even notice that Bria stopped in front of this cozy boutique. 

In the window stood a mannequin with a soft mauve dress. It was form fitting, yet formal enough to be worn to a prom. The off the shoulder dress cinched at the waist, then flared out at the hips, dipping from there into a mermaid style bottom with a semi long train in the back. The top hung gracefully together, just opening at the top with a small v where a statement necklace would sit.

It was _perfect._

Lena walked to her side, looking from her to the dress, then smiled, placing a hand on her hip.

“So, are you going to get it or do I have to go in there and grab it for you?”

“Oh, I’m going to get it. Do you think they have any shoes to match? Maybe a cute purse?”

“I’m sure of it! Let’s go grab it before someone else goes googly eyes over this dress!”

After trying it on and finding out it came with a complimentary clutch, they were done with their search. Content with their purchases, the two of them piled into the car, joking and laughing about their day. After saying her goodbyes and stockpiling her arms full of her things, Bria managed to get into the house with little to no fanfare. It was 8pm, which meant that her parents were in their respective wings of the home. 

Good, no need to deal with excess drama.

She tossed her school bag down, then draped the dress bag on her bed. Plopping down next to it, she immediately opened her messaging app, quickly typing to her group chat about her day. Jack was in the middle of making dinner for himself. Gabriel was finishing off a show and lazily looking over some reports. Lena already buzzed in the chat, hyping up Bria’s good news before she had the chance.

LenaBee: Oh you guys! Bria and I just got done dress shopping for her prom!

JackieO: Prom? Bribri, I thought you weren’t going?

Biel: Yeah, I thought it was something you wouldn’t be into. I’m glad you changed your mind.

BriBri: I wasn’t originally going to go, but Lena talked me into it. I’m glad she did, because this dress is gorgeous!

Biel: Well I for one am excited to see it. It couldn’t be any better than anything I would design, but let’s see this ‘gorgeous dress’ for ourselves. 

JackieO: Oh yes, let’s see! I hope it’s nothing too boring like what your mom likes to wear.

LenaBee: I have pictures of it, unless she wants to get those full length mirror shots for you!

BriBri: Gang, I was going to make it a surprise, but if you insist…

Biel: Yes, we insist.

JackieO: Wait, I just realized someone changed my name in the chat. Why am I JackieO? What was wrong with FrancNBeans?

Biel: I changed it because that name was lame, just like you are.

JackieO: I’m not lame, I just like a good play on words. Besides, what’s the deal with ‘Biel?’

Biel: It’s the nickname my mama gave me, thank you very much.

Letting out a low cackle, she closed out the chat momentarily and tossed the phone on the bed. She did want to keep it as a surprise for everyone else, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to hide it for too long. She was too excited to keep this from her close friends. She went to her closet, grabbing some shapewear and undergarments to keep things smooth. After struggling a bit with the zipper, the dress was on. It was just as beautiful in store, and she couldn’t be more thankful. Fluffing her hair, then adjusting the mirror lighting to just the right settings, she began snapping some shots, making sure to get every detail in focus. She momentarily turned her phone on silent since it kept buzzing with Gabe and Jack bickering in chat while Lena egged them on. When she was finished, she turned off the lights, walking back to her bed to sit.

BriBri: Okay, I’ve got some pictures. I didn’t get any shoes, but I’m sure there are some in my closet that will go with it.

Sending them over, Bria sat patiently, absently flicking her favorite strand of hair. Moments passed, then messages flew in.

LenaBee: Oh it’s so stunning in your lighting! I’m jealous of it! I’m going to have to come over and take some photos to send to Emily!

JackieO: Look at my girl! BriBri, you look lovely! I wouldn’t expect anything less from you!

LenaBee: And the clutch?! It matches perfectly! Maybe you can do black strappy heels? Something with a little bit of bedazzle to it? Nothing too much, just enough to tie everything in!

JackieO: Do you have a shawl to go with it? I’m sure the air conditioning will be blasting in there.

Bria beamed. Of course they would love it. But she did notice there was no response from one person she wanted to hear from the most. Gabriel was silent. Maybe he was caught up with something. A phone call? Washing dishes? Was his show that interesting? If only she knew the true reason.

Gabriel sat jaw dropped on his couch, staring at the photos on his phone. The dress itself was lovely, but this was the first time he really got a chance to see Bria outside of the timid and soft spoken girl who buzzed around his office in a sweater and baggy jeans. He became conflicted with the rush of emotions that hit him at once. How did she grow and bloom so quickly? Was she always this _shapely?_

That last question hit him with a pang of guilt.

That’s Bria, his little _ercilia._ She was everything good in his life that helped him keep going, even as work grew more stressful. She was always there for him when he needed to talk, or just to help guide her when she needed help. Hell, the girl couldn’t even boil water before he taught her. These feelings never showed up before, so why the hell did they now?

The knot in his stomach coiled tighter. 

_“Maybe these thoughts are normal. It doesn’t mean I plan on doing anything with them. I could never do anything to hurt her. This is probably the doc’s fault. All those tests and shots are messing with him. Yeah, her fault.”_

Shaking his confliction away, he opened up the chat, scrolling through the replies. Just a few words, and then he could throw himself back into his work.

Biel: You look spectacular, Bri. Good choice in dress.

Turning his phone on silent, he took a deep breath, messing up his curls and taking a swig of his beer. He had too much going on as it is, but this made things a bit more difficult.

-

Prom, of course, went off without a hitch. The dance itself was just as expected: rich teenagers crowded together in a spectacular ballroom, driving themselves in with the fanciest sports cars known to them. The biggest conversation was how the nerdiest girl managed to snag an escort from one of the world's most famous people. Hooked arms, big smiles and secrets passed between them, Bria and Jack walked into the main area. 

He of course wasn’t going to stick around long. Her father put him up to this, saying it would be good for recruitment. Plus Bria was old enough to not be too much of a liability to their reputation, thus allowing the world to finally know about his greatest PR stunt. Taking a few photos together, Bria’s cheeks were stained pink from all of the attention, but Jack was kind enough to keep her grounded with a well placed hand on top of her own. Before the two departed, she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, then walked towards the refreshments, eliciting gasps from her peers, chaperones and teachers alike. Jack beamed, waving to her and the others before taking his leave. 

Her classmates were immediately on her like flies to honey.

Outside in the parking lot, Jack raced to the car, diving in and not even bothering to buckle up. Gabriel burned rubber out of the parking lot, hitting the main road and away from all of the attention. They got their photos with Bria before she left, embarrassing her enough to last the whole night, but also to help calm her nerves and encourage her to go. Gabriel of course did not want to deal with the public. That was Jack’s specialty. He loved the attention and everything that came with it, but he could do without it.

“So, how did it go?”

“Just as well as a drop off could be. Though it seems that our BriBri will be getting a bit more attention than she’s used to. Everyone seemed to be surprised that I brought her in.”

“Yeah, she did mention that people didn’t believe she was Petras’ kid. Now they will.”

“Of course they didn’t. I bet the jackass said something to the staff to keep that under wraps.”

Jack laughed, clearing his cheek of the lipstick without much progress. Gabe glanced over, noticing the rouge on his cheek.

“What’s that all about?”

“Ah, yeah Bri gave me a kiss goodbye, but I don’t think she knew that matte lipstick stained fair skin as badly as it did.”

“Hmm. Well I’m sure you can clean that off before we get to the bar. Wouldn’t want you warding off any potential suitors.”

“Yeah, let’s hope I can.”

The rest of the car ride was silent on Gabriel’s side, letting Jack keep the conversation one sided. He wished he went in with them just to see Bria’s smiling face.

Maybe if he was lucky, he would have gotten a kiss as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ercilia: Pure and Delicate girl. Basically, she's the cinnamon roll.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone needs vacations once in a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut towards the end. That came quick.
> 
> So did they. Lmao.

Another warm and beautiful day in Switzerland meant almost everyone was gearing up for summer to begin. Most took two weeks off if they weren’t essential personnel. Others headed to the city town center and bars on the weekends to take in the sights and smells and the immersive culture. Mission essential workers stayed back, but stepped outside to rest and breathe in the fresh air from the Alps.

Bria, on the other hand was disappointed.

Sitting in her hand was a rather thin envelope. She ignored the emails that were equally as small, and with the wrap up of her final school year, graduation parties and picnics, she didn’t think that they would resort to snail mail. Eagerly, she had ripped open the document and poured over the letter, but once her eyes hit ‘we regret to inform you’, her heart sank.

MIT rejected her application on the eve of her birthday.

She thought she did everything right. The essay she sent in was edited, written and even re-written. She sent in videos of her latest works, followed them on all social media. Hell, she even flew over to Boston to tour the school in person! Yet, all of that did nothing to get her in. Her mother laughed heartily behind her.

“Good, I’m glad you didn’t get into that egghead school. Now you can finally begin to focus on what is truly important. We have to get you ready for your big debut!” With a frustrated sigh, Bria tossed the letter to her side on the couch, running a hand over her brows, rubbing the tension that built up and attempting to hide the tears that threatened to follow. Her mother harped over this ‘coming of age’ party for months, going on to tell her that every and any daughter with the background that she has needed to do this. 

Normally, one would do that when they were 13, 15 or 16, but since she arrived in their lives a few months passed her 16th birthday, she didn’t get that opportunity, instead choosing to do it in Malta with the Director’s best and brightest. Now her mother wanted to do it on her 19th birthday. Her 18th was tomorrow and it was too close to her graduating high school for any serious planning. In Gamila’s eyes, she should take the year off to lose weight, change her hairstyle, travel the world, meet cute and rich men and learn the ways of aristocratic youth.

Bria wanted nothing to do with that. Not even in the slightest.

But, knowing how her mother was, she needed to at least humor her about it. When she finally agreed, Gamila all but launched out of her chair in excitement. Soon, they were off to the stores, meeting with party planners, figuring out color schemes and the like. Her biggest gripe had to be the fact that her mother forbade her from using her phone. It was a distraction and a way to be disobedient. Now that Bria was officially a Petras to the world, Gamila knew she couldn’t risk slapping her anymore. Any sign of abuse would be closely monitored by the public, and public opinion on Overwatch is at a sensitive spot.

People think that the world has too many heroes now. They feel as if Overwatch is overstepping its boundaries. They don’t feel like they need to be closely watched as much by them, and with the crisis being over, maybe they should take a step back as well.

Those people are fools.

When they were done, Gamila sent Bria over to the headquarters. Her father wanted to see her for an important discussion, but wouldn’t divulge too much into it. Either she didn’t know, or she didn’t care. Probably the latter. Of course, she had to be PR ready. With a fluffy white merino sweater over a pink turtleneck, light blue jeans and matte white flats, she was ready to be seen by cameras that most likely weren’t there.

-

As she thought, her arrival at headquarters were met with zero fanfare. Flashing her badge and greeting the guards, she made her way to the elevators. Typing in her father’s code, she scrolled through pictures, leaning against the wall. Soon a ding announced she was here. Sliding her phone in her pocket, she walked towards her father’s office, waving at the guard who smiled, giving a gentle knock before opening the door for her.

“Director, sir. Miss Bria is here.”

With a bright smile, Director Petras rose to his feet, arms wide and ready for her. That couldn’t be too good, and she tried to hide her mistrust in her facial expressions. After one awkward hug, he guided her to a seat at his desk. A drink was already on the table for himself, along with some snacks for her. His secretary stood behind him, pretending to be interested in whatever was on her tablet, but she was most likely just there to be nosy.

“My _adamandia!_ I’m so glad you took time away from your busy schedule to join me. How are you?” She blushed, holding her comfort strand in between her fingers. He hasn’t called her that in a long time.

“I’m fine, father. I hope you’re not too busy with work.” Bristling with laughter, he smiled proudly to her.

“Oh, I’m doing wonderful. You’re too kind to worry about me so. But I called you here for a reason. I do have a surprise for you. The Streets Festival in Ascona begins tomorrow, and I wanted to take you there. Unfortunately, my schedule is a bit… tied up at this moment, and I cannot take you myself.” 

His secretary giggled, earning a smirk and a sideways knowing glance from Alesandro. Bria all but threw up in her mouth to the thought. “But I say this: you’ll still be attending, but under the watchful eyes of Commander Reyes and Doctor Ziegler themselves. We attempted to get Chief Engineer Lindholm to join us, but he was unfortunately tied up with family matters, so he won’t be attending.”

The Streets Festival was one of the few major kickoffs of summer for the country. People far and wide came to experience the rich art and entertainment that went on during the events that weekend. Ascona was one of the few locations that was a vibrant blend of culture, beauty and life that all but lured people to go see it. And with Italy just across the lake, it was a good start to anyone’s vacation adventures.

Bria was breathless. A weekend trip to one of the most beautiful cities with two wonderful people? She admired Angela for the way she could handle even the toughest situations and still keep a smile on her face. She was the calm in the middle of chaos. Plus it didn’t hurt that she was from Switzerland to help guide the three of them to the best food shops and little holes in the wall that most tourists would miss out on. But then her heart fluttered even more. Gabriel was going as well! She could imagine taking strolls down the street with him, talking about everything they’ve seen. They’d watch the jugglers, buy kitschy trinkets and even take pictures together by the lake. It was going to be amazing!

If she was lucky, maybe she could get her first kiss from him there. Probably not, but one could wish!

“Ah! Thank you so much father! This is going to be the best birthday ever!” Jumping from her seat, she rounded his desk to give him a hug. He smiled at the affection, then stopped.

“Oh, oh yes! This will be a wonderful birthday for the most precious adamandia the world has ever seen!”

Bria left the office in a blur of excitement, grabbing her phone and shooting off texts to her group chat about the trip. As the door slid shut, Alesandro cleared his throat, turning to his secretary.

“Please send out a reminder to Commander Reyes and Doctor Ziegler that it’s her birthday. Also, order something cute that a teenager would like to be delivered to the young Miss by tomorrow morning.”

“You’ve got it, sir.”

-

The train ride to Ascona was picturesque. Angela tucked into a cheesy romance novel, listening to music on her headphones. Gabriel and Bria knitted together, stopping for a moment to enjoy coffee and scones. The rest of the time they took pictures with each other and fans who wanted to get a shot with the heroes. After the last bit of the group left, they settled back into their seats.

“Ah, _Briali._ I’ve got something for you. Happy 18th birthday, dear!” From her backpack, the doctor pulled out a small gift. Bria’s eyes lit up with excitement. Taking it, she carefully removed the bow and opened it up, revealing a lovely necklace with the letter ‘B’ adorned with a bright green alexandrite stone at the bottom.

She put it on, turning to Angela and practically radiating happiness. “Thank you so much! This is so lovely!”

“Not as lovely as you are, _liebling._ And look at how it accentuates your eye color so well!” Gabriel watched the two, rubbing the side of his messenger bag where his gift was. Originally, he was planning on giving it to her when she went off to school, but after hearing that she didn’t get in, he brought it with him on the trip. Not wanting to take the spotlight from his co-chaperone, he waited until the timing was just right to give it. Besides, it wasn’t anything too spectacular, at least in his eyes it wasn’t.

-

When the trio arrived at the hotel, they went to their respective rooms, refreshing and changing their outfits, then came back together to hit the city and the festival. After looking at the exhibits, laughing at the jugglers, singing and dancing along with the traditional Swedish dancers and sampling food from the stalls, they made their way to Lake Maggiore for more light fares.

First they stopped into a shop with decorative glass animals. Angela loved that place. Next was a fabric store. Gabriel stocked up on goods and even sweet talked the shop owner into giving him a few pieces of their finest silk for a discount. Then they stopped at a rather overpriced clothes store. Bria bought Angela a scarf and Gabriel a new beanie as a way to say thanks, and a cute pair of sneakers for herself.

Finally, they stopped by a dessert shop, grabbing a birthday cupcake and a candle. After they sang to Bria and split the cupcake three ways, they took pictures at the lakefront just as the sun was setting. Getting a phone call from headquarters, Angela took her leave to go back to the hotel. Apparently, something went wrong in the hospital ward, and she needed to talk them through how to recalibrate a few machines. It was too loud outside, and since this was pretty private, she needed to go back.

That left Gabriel and Bria alone.

The two walked in content silence, taking in the city and the lake, watching boats pass by. A group of people brushed past them, laughing and sharing food from the festival. Ahead, couples cozied up together and held hushed conversations. Bria blushed when one couple kissed passionately as they passed by. Gabriel noted her mood shift and smiled, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. Her cheeks burned a bit more from that.

Taking a break, the two sat in front of a few shops on a tree covered bench. With a sigh, she stretched out her legs, pinching the ‘B’ in between her thumb and index finger, looking out at the lake. Gabriel figured this was a perfect time to give her the gifts.

“Bri, I’ve got something for you. Now, it’s not as good as Angela’s gift, but I thought you’d like it all the same.” Turning to him, she watched as he pulled out two gifts. He passed her the first one, and with great care, she opened it up. It was a bullet journal. Inside was a note that said “Happy Birthday Giselle. I know you’ll go on to do great things, even if it isn’t college. Love, Immanuel.” 

As she traced her hands over the writing, the next gift dropped on the open side of the book. Trying to hide her tears, she gingerly opened the second gift. Inside was a picture of her with Jack, Lena and Gabriel. It was during one of their Saturday night craft parties. Gabriel and Bria fought over a ball of yarn, while Jack struggled with knitting a large blanket by hand. Lena, covered in glitter and stickers stuck her head in frame just in time to catch the moment. On the frame, the words _“Happy birthday BriBri! Love always, Jack, Gabe and Lena.”_

She all but bawled at that point.

“Since tweedle dee and tweedle speed couldn’t be here with us, they wanted to make sure you got that. The journal is from me.” Wiping her eyes, she turned to him, pulling him in a rather tight embrace. “Thank you, Gabe. You all are so amazing for getting me these gifts. I’ll cherish these forever.”

Pulling away, she gathered up her gifts, stuffing them in her backpack. “It’s getting late. I’m sure Angie is wondering where we are. Besides, I could go for a movie and some terrible-for-you snacks. How does that sound?” Standing with her, he held out his left arm for her to take. She laced hers with his, smiling. “Sound’s good to me.”

-

After the movies and snacks were all done, Angela excused herself to her suite, bidding them both a good night. Bria did the same, leaving Gabe alone to clean the mess they left behind. When he was finished, he prepared himself for bed, walking to his bathroom to brush his teeth, stopping momentarily when he heard his name being called. He looked around, noting there weren’t any open spots in the bathroom with the exception of a vent that went from one room to the next. The next bathroom over was Bria’s.

His heart dropped. Mind racing, he thought of all the reasons she could call him. Maybe she needed help? What if she slipped and fell? Her shower was running, so that could be a possibility. He turned to leave, then stopped when he heard it.

A moan.

It wasn’t a hurt moan. Far from it. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him, probably wishful thinking, but then it came again, a bit louder this time.

On the other side of the wall, lost in the bliss of her imagination and hands was Bria. She thought a shower would help wash away the day’s grime, and a bit of frustration she experienced through the day. In her head were visions of Gabriel, smiling at her, laughing at dumb jokes. The way he held her hand as they spun around with the other festival goers. How his hand gently caressed her shoulders. That smirk he got when he talked about the silk deal. Spending close time with him was driving her mad.

It started off innocently. The shower had an overhead and a regular wall mounted head, but the hand held one was what piqued her interest. After rinsing off the bubbles, she grazed it over her most sensitive spots, the tingles from the pressure hit her just right. She figured it was a good way to end off her birthday.

Sinking to her knees, she slid her free hand down to caress herself, noting a bit of slick started coating her lips. That definitely wasn’t water. Then, she applied a little bit of water and let her mind do the work. She rubbed gently, paying special attention to her clit, circling over it as the water hit. After a few rotations, a moan slipped out of her mouth. She quickly bit her lip, trying to stifle the pleasure.

The pressure quickly built, but she wasn’t going to let it end so soon. Letting that blissful water cascade over her, she quickly stuffed a finger inside, finding that bundle of nerves. Maybe if she was brave, she could have asked Gabriel to join her. That thought made her whole back arch, then the fateful name called out.

Conflicted, Gabriel stood in shock, trying not to pay so much attention to how much he could hear from his side. How a quick bump against the wall, and then the increased pace of skin slapping on skin came. How her pants and poorly stifled moans echoed in both of the rooms. Subconsciously, his hand slipped into his boxers, squeezing and palmed at his dick. Leaning against his counter, all thoughts of should he or shouldn’t he went away while he pumped himself along with her pace. The more she cooed, the more he gripped.

She cried out, chanting his name softly. His knees buckled. Oh how her voice sounded so sweet to his ears. He closed his eyes, imagining himself in the shower with her, emerald jeweled eyes blown wide with lust and those sweet puffy lips of hers wrapped lovingly around his dick. He wanted to cradle her face in his hands when he took her innocence. He wanted to whisper sweet and good things to her, tell her how well she took him. He wanted to taste her. He wanted those soft thighs on his shoulders. He wanted to feel her walls flutter around his fingers as he made her cum.

Lost in her own thoughts, she pictured him splayed on her bed, wearing that black beanie and a smile. She wanted to feel him fill her up to the brim, wanted to lean her head back and caress her breasts while he gripped her hips and made her ride him till she shook. She wanted his lips on his neck, a gentle bite even, then when they both came close, for him to whisper ‘you’re mine’. The dam broke. Slamming the hand held down, she rode her fingers and tossed her head back, biting her finger as she came hard. In the other room Gabe was close behind her, biting his lip and spilling his seed on the floor beneath him. 

Guilt slammed him almost immediately. He looked at the mess he made, then the shared vent. The shower was soon off. Taking that as his queue to move, he did so, cleaning the mess on the ground, turning off his light and headed to bed. Once he was in bed, he fisted his hands beneath his pillow, laying his head on top of it, stopping himself from another round with his wild imagination. Whatever he did, whatever willpower he still had in him needed to work in overdrive to never act on these feelings.

_Ever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick notes:
> 
> Adamandia: Diamond in Greek.  
> Briali: Her name, but with -li at the end. In my head, Angela gives people pet names sometimes.  
> Giselle: The middle name I gave Bria. Her full name is Bria Giselle Petras. Her former name wasn't included because to be honest, I didn't think of one.  
> Immanuel: Gabriel's imaginary middle name because if Jack gets a middle name (Francis if you didn't know) then everyone gets one. I would have spelled it with an E, but then his initials wouldn't be GIR and that's just an opportunity I couldn't miss for our moody boi.
> 
> For the journal, I imagined that he calls her by her middle name when he wants to be affectionate, but in a way that they would get. Probably during their talks it came up, and when he wanted to get her attention he called her Giselle instead of BriBri or her full name.
> 
> The high before the low. I love it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duct tape can't fix every crack.

With all good things, they sometimes must come to an end. Her trip was soon done and months passed by quickly. It was nearly time for her party. Being so caught up in planning and dress fittings, she barely had time to spend with her friends. They were all equally busy with responsibilities, occasionally sending each other funny pictures, and planning get togethers only to cancel them. 

Any time she tried to stop by Jack’s office, he seemed to be swamped in paperwork or phone calls. Gabe was busy a lot of the time, barely taking a moment to be in his office for longer than five minutes to talk. When he did get a chance to be in there, his mood was usually sharp, or he was sick. She noticed his eyes were more tired than normal, frown lines more deep than normal. He seemed on edge, even for her standards. On a few occasions, he would snap, immediately following it up with apologies to her, offering a weak smile before asking for time alone. Lena was off on missions more than she cared to count, so visiting her was like catching a fly on the ceiling.

In their expansive living room, Bria sat glued to the television, watching reports of a man murdered in Venice at the hands of Overwatch. The next scene was of riots, people holding up ‘Down with Overwatch’ signs in their hands. Angry people shouting at the cameras and words of riots breaking out near different locations across the world. The last scene was of four figures. One of them was Gabriel.

A deep set frown and immense pain washed over her. She knew he was gone on a mission, and had been gone for weeks before this came out. Before he went silent, he sent a quick picture of him, Genji and McCree at a card table, pizza, chips and beer scattered around the table. She smiled, told him to have a good time and then went to bed. She never thought she would wake up to this.

Quickly dressing, she left her home and went to headquarters, trying to get some answers to this for herself. The mood shift in the building was different. Everyone seemed to be on edge. Grumbles and complaints were hushed when she walked by, but then soon began once more when they figured she was out of ear shot. Reaching the elevator, she typed in her code, then was off to the Blackwatch side of the organization. The doors slid open and she stepped out, immediately side stepping a blade.

“Genji! You can’t just up and leave us like this! Just because we had one bad mission, doesn’t mean everything is over!”

“I can, and I will. Besides, my transfer to Overwatch finally got approved. I leave today.”

Bristling with fear, Bria stood frozen in place, watching Jesse and Genji argue in the hallway. Other Blackwatch members watched in curiosity, speaking amongst themselves. The lights on Genji’s metal body shone bright with red, his hand threatening to unsheathe his sword. Jesse’s attention turned to the newcomer, making everyone else pause and turn their heads in her direction as well.

Growing flustered, Bria raised a hand, offering a small wave. Jesse sighed, side stepping the cyborg to go to her. Figuring the discussion was closed, Genji picked up the box in his hands, walking to the elevator and soon leaving the floor for the last time.

With a smile that didn’t match his eyes, Jesse hugged Bria, turning her away from the others. “Hey sweet pea, what brings you here?”

“I was going to come see what exactly happened. Plus, I wanted to see Gabe and ask him if everything the news said was true.” They stopped walking, the hand on her shoulders tightening at the mention of the crestfallen Commander.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. He’s been in interrogations all day with Morrison and Amari. Besides, it’s probably not best for you to be here right now. Rumors are spreading that your dear ole Pa and the other big wigs are thinking of getting rid of Blackwatch.”

She looked at Jesse, trying to read his expression to make sure she heard everything correctly. Disbanding Blackwatch? This was one mistake, a major one, but a mistake nonetheless. Fiddling with her sleeves, she swallowed hard, turning to speak when a door slammed open. The air became thick with tension and rage as Gabriel stepped out of the stairwell, breathing hard through his nose. He turned to Jesse, fight on his tongue before he spotted Bria.

“McCree, back to work, now. Bria, leave.”

Stepping forward, she held out a hand towards him, but was stopped when he held his own.

_“Now.”_

Disheartened, she stayed put, lowering her gaze to the ground. Jesse scoffed, turning the two of them in the opposite direction. Looking over her shoulder, their eyes met. He seemed conflicted, she was hurt deeply. There wasn’t anything else that he could do. His tests were going horribly. Every time he got an injection, his moods shifted darker and the remaining shreds of humanity he seemed to hold onto were leaving. His body wasn’t faring any better. All of his strength seemed to go to him trying to keep his body in one piece. Any time someone came to talk to him, he snapped on them, and in return the numbers of members he had dwindled down to a few dozen at best. Now with this fuck up in Venice over his head and talks of disbanding, he couldn’t handle the pressure anymore.

What he didn’t want to do was hurt Bria.

Slamming the door to his office and locking it, he decided that it was best to lock himself away in there for the rest of the day. At least the walls wouldn’t be offended if he was angry.

-

First it was Genji leaving. A month later it was the death of Gerard Lacroix and the disappearance of his wife that put everyone on edge. Then it was Jesse. He left a week later, fearing he would die next either on a mission or from someone on the inside. Three weeks later, Blackwatch was officially disbanded during a live press conference in Paris.

Any remaining members were placed in teams that needed them, or granted early leave with a severance pay for two years and shining recommendations to their next jobs. Gabriel was placed on leave for two weeks, then relocated back in the executive suites across from Jack and Ana. Despite his errors, he was still part of the team, but because of said errors, he was put on training duty for new recruits.

After a quick shower, Gabriel stepped out of his ensuite bathroom in his office, pulling down his shirt. He grabbed a water bottle out of the mini fridge, then nearly tossed said water bottle at the intruder. Tear stained and distraught, Bria cowered on his couch, her eyes wide with fear.

“Bri, what the hell are you doing in here? How did you even get into my office? Isn’t it locked?” She nodded, then held up her badge. 

Her voice, barely above a whisper came. “Remember you gave me access to your office any time I needed it? It still works up here, too.”

Gabriel looked up, thinking for a moment as he sat in his office chair, then nodded. “Oh, yeah. Forgot about that. Well, I need some time alone, so if you could-”

“Wait. Please. Before you kick me out…”

Walking to his desk, she reached in her back pocket, placing an envelope on his desk. He eyed her, then the envelope, taking it from the desk and opening it. In was an invitation to her party, albeit a gaudy, glitter covered thing. He smirked, tossing it to the side of him. He then proceeded to grab the papers in front of him, scanning over entrance exams and pt test results.

“I thought… maybe if you had time to, you’d-”

“I’m busy. Anything else?” 

“Why do you hate me?”

He stopped reading when she choked on a sob. Looking up was a terrible idea. Fat tears fell from her eyes and broke his heart. He hasn’t been too fair to her lately, but what was he going to do? Eyes were already on him in laser focus. Besides, she was an adult now. If she continued to come into the office, people might think he’s trying to corrupt her. 

Hell, any time she steps out for press events with the Director and Jack, people think they’ll be announcing their engagement at any moment. The hashtag Jia has been trending all over the internet for years. Any and all sightings of the two of them out has added fuel to the flame. If only people knew the truth.

He’s denied her long enough.

Gabriel rounded his desk and pulled her in for a hug, which she took greedily. They shook together from the force of her tears. Petting her hair, he placed a chaste kiss on her head, then continued. “Giselle, I don’t hate you. Things have been tough lately, and I’ve been trying to handle all of these things, but I shouldn’t have shut you out the way that I did. I’m sorry.”

“Is that why you’ve ignored all of my texts and phone calls?” Truth be told, he hasn’t been getting any texts because he destroyed his old phone one drunken night and replaced it only yesterday.

“Yes _mijita_ and I’m sorry.” Pulling away, she studied his face. He was more tired than ever. His cheeks seemed more hollow than normal, and the stress wreaked havoc on him. He hasn’t shaved his beard in a while, and his curls were longer than before, peeking out of the bottom of the beanie. He’s had better days.

“It’s okay. Just please, if you need anything, tell me, okay Immanuel?”

“Of course, Giselle.”

-

The day of Bria’s party was nothing short of exciting for everyone but Bria. Gamila booked the two of them all day at the spa, getting their hair, nails, facials and massages done. Next, they picked up her dress and checked out the venue, finishing up anything that could be done. Then, her parents went to get ready, drinking nearly two bottles of wine each. Bria kept herself in her dressing room, meditating and writing in her bullet journal. One hour before the party began, a knock wrapped on her door. 

“Come in!”

In stepped Jack, dressed in a stunning blue suit with a dozen red roses in hand. His normal corn blonde hair was peppered with greys. Boy was he a sight for sore eyes. Bria jumped out of her makeup chair, running and jumping straight into his arms, peppering him with kisses on the cheek.

“You made it! You actually made it!” Laughing, he put her down, handing her the roses and grabbing a wipe from the outstretched hand of her makeup artist, cleaning off the lipstick from his cheeks.

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss this for anything. You look stunning, BriBri.” Reapplying her lipstick while her hairstylist fussed over her dislodged curls, she looked at him in the mirror.

“Thanks! Hey, did you see Gabriel out there? I asked him if he was coming but I didn’t hear anything back.”

“No, I didn’t, sorry. But don’t worry about Grouchy Gus, you’ve got a good gathering of people out there waiting to see you. I’ll be waiting for you outside the door.”

Frowning, she gave him a brief nod, shoving her headphones back in her ear. He squeezed her shoulder, then left the dressing room.

Before the hour was done, she was dressed and ready, donning a strapless cherry red mermaid dress with a sheer train connected to the back with matching gloves and a black clutch. Her hair was pulled to the back in a braided bun with side swept bangs. If she was going to do a coming of age party, she had to do it to her own standards. After this, she would be done with all of this dressing up crap.

Stepping out of the dressing room, Bria met with Jack who praised her. Gamila, of course called her a whore for wearing red and a shapely dress. Ignoring her, the three of them headed towards the stage. Turning to her, Jack squeezed her hand on his arm.

“You ready?”

“More than I’ll ever be.”

The emcee introduced her parents first to smiles and cheers. Alesandro escorted his swaying wife to the dance floor, giving her a spin and pulling her in tight to his chest, trying to support her wobbly head. Then Bria and Jack were announced. Curtains opened and cameras flashed as the two stepped out. The crowd all but roared with applause. Jack leaned in, whispering a joke in her ear and she beamed. People ate it up. 

Escorting her down the stairs, hand in hand they stepped to the dance floor. She gave her parents well calculated and PR planned kisses on both of their cheeks, then walked over to Jack. On queue, the band began playing “There She Is” by Frank Turner. As they twirled and turned around the dance floor, Bria looked for her own guest of honor, finding him nowhere. Her smile faltered, turning to lean her head on Jack’s chest. He raised his hand on her waist to her back, trying to offer comfort.

“I know you’re sad, but please try to cheer up.”

“But I gave him the invitation…”

“I know. If he knows any better, he will show up. Now, head up. It’s almost time for the dip.”

Bria lifted her head, giving Jack her best artificial smile, trying her hardest to be in the moment. He returned a genuine one, then spun her twice, leaning his knee out to support her as she leaned back. Holding her extended hand, he kissed it, then pulled her back in for two more turns before the song was over. The crowd cheered and applauded. The two stood side by side, bowing to them. 

Jack escorted her to her table which for some reason wasn’t where her parents sat. Even at her own party, she wasn’t the most important person there. They sat next to hers, with important leaders and other business executives along with Jack. She sat with their children, all young adults, as well as a few Overwatch officers. Dinner was soon served.

Conversations amongst the table switched between celebrities, clothes and parties. Bria tried to but in, but it fell on deaf ears. She decided to eat the rest of her food, picking at a green bean. The officer next to her bumped into her, causing the table to shake. Instead of apologizing, he laughed.

“Hey, you bumped me.”

“Yeah I did. What are you going to do? Tell your daddy I was mean to you?”

“No, I-”

“Yeah, you probably are. All you crybaby rich bitches are the same. Hey, how about I give you something to really cry about.”

The officer splashed Bria with red wine, a glass he wasn’t supposed to have, but the bartender was his friend. Standing in shock and knocking her chair over, she glared at him in anger.

“Just what the hell are you thinking?” Matching her heat, he stood directly in her face.

“Putting a spoiled bitch in her place.” He began to rear his hand back to slap her, but was stopped by a strong grip on his arm. Turning to face whoever it was, he began to speak, but was stopped when he came face to face with a rather angry Commander Reyes. Gabriel stepped back, letting security grab the officer and escorted him out of the ballroom. Jack stood, walking over to Bria. 

“Bri, are you alright? What was that all about anyway?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care. Get me out of here.”

Turning away from them both, she ran through the side doors and into the side rooms where VIP guests were allowed. Jack began to walk, then was stopped by a hand on his chest.

“I’ve got this. Please try to stay and calm the party.”

“Thanks, Gabe.”

“Whatever, Golden Boy.”

-

Bria sobbed on the couch, ripping her gloves off in anger. She kicked off her heels and threw them across the room. Next came the jewelry and lashes. What did she deserve any of these harsh punishments for? If people were angry with her father, then talk to him about it! A few knocks on her door came. She turned to look at it, then heard the voice she’s been dying to hear all day.

“Bri, it’s me.”

Rushing to the door, she swung it open, grabbed his arm and nearly yanked him in. Slamming it shut, she threw herself in his arms, crying harder than before. Gabriel held her tight, rocking her back and forth.

“I know, I know. That guy was an asshole. Don’t worry. He’s getting toilet duty.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s… everything. All of this drama with Overwatch, everyone’s so busy with work and that’s fine, but it seems so different. Everything seems so different. I just wish things could go back to how they were three years ago. Everyone seemed so much happier. Now… it’s so bad.”

Calming down, she slumped to the couch, twisting her hands together. Growing agitated, she snatched the bobby pins from her hair, letting it fall out of place. “Then we have this stupid party for what? The two of them have been drunk all day. They didn’t even care to check on me. I didn’t even want this damn party. I didn’t want any of this!”

Gabriel sat next to her, rubbing her back, then pulling her to lean on his shoulder. She moved closer, draping her legs next to her. He placed his chin on her head, kissing her hair. “I’m sorry that everything’s been so different. I wouldn’t even call this growing pains, because most people don’t experience the pressures you do. What I can say to you is that it does get better. Things are bad now, but they will get better. I promise.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Smiling, Bria gave his side a squeeze, then sat up, grabbing the controllers from the coffee table. Gabriel smiled, taking one in his hand. They played video games for the rest of the party. When everything else died down, they left the room, parting with a hug.

“Thanks Gabe. Also, good luck in your meeting next week. Hopefully they don’t send you away for good.”

“Yeah, I hope so. Have a wonderful night, Bria.”

She smiled and turned, but paused. She walked back over to him, leaning on her tiptoes and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Pulling away, she laughed, then turned to walk out of the ballroom. Stunned, Gabriel placed a hand on his cheek, smiling.

-

A week later, Bria was dancing in her room, putting clothes away and picking up whatever trash was hanging around. She was about to hang up clothes when she was interrupted by a shrill scream from the living room. Dropping everything, she raced out of her room, looking around. Seeing no one, she ran downstairs, stopping halfway down when she spotted her mother on the ground with two guards at her side. On the screen was the remains of headquarters with smoke coming out of it. The reporter at the scene spoke as cameras panned to injured people outside.

“If you’re just tuning in, we are sorry. The explosion at the Overwatch Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland has shaken the city and caused a lockdown on all air travel. Rescue workers from all over are headed this way, giving aid to the ones on the ground and to help find survivors. We had word come in before that the Director of Overwatch was in the building at the time of the explosion and was presumed missing, but he, along with the Strike Commander Jack Morrison and Commander Gabriel Reyes have been confirmed to have died in this explosion.”

Bria crumpled to the ground and _screamed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mijito: Honey, dear, a tasty drink, etc. In this context, it's honey.
> 
> Y'all my heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The winds of change blow through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate filler episodes. I also hate writing filler chapters. It gets good at the end, I promise.

Death has never really been something Bria would have thought she would face again in her short life. Her parents were killed during the Omnic Crisis, leaving her alone at the age of 10. Now, she has to face the fact that her adoptive father and good friends have been killed, and the thought of it crushed her. For hours she sat numb on the couch, tuning out her mother’s wailing and demands for the real truth to be brought to her. For once, a shred of human emotions that aren't solely focused on her came out.

Tragedy really does bring out the best in people.

For days, Bria tried to go to the ruins of the building herself, trying to help out in any way she could. Get some type of answers, maybe even find a glimmer of hope in a helpless situation. At one point during the process, she had to be pulled away moments before the grounds shifted and swallowed more debris. Eventually, she was banned from the actual building itself, limiting her to just passing out food and supplies to those affected by this. Reporters flocked to her, asking her questions and trying to get the money shot of the despaired daughter, but she blocked them each time. This wasn’t the time for media to bank on the deaths of others. Not now, not ever.

Finally, she grew tired of there being nothing but death surrounding her. The hope that people would be found alive diminished after a pile of bodies was discovered in a training room. This wasn’t something she could stomach any longer, so she stopped coming. Each night brought on more nightmares for her, and after seeing that, she refused to sleep for days. Every time she would close her eyes, she would see them.

A month passed. People came to offer their condolences to her mother, and tried to speak to her, but got nothing. During the month of searching, people would ask how she was coping, her only reply would be a stare, her gearing up and walking out of the house. Out of respect to the others, funerals for high ranking officials were held off until each and every family got proper notification and respects paid to the dead. The day she dreaded the most came. Her father’s funeral was full of fanfare and praise of the life he lead and those he left behind. Pictures and stories filled the packed church as her mother cried. When he was buried, dozens of roses were thrown on top of his casket. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to cry in front of them, instead opting to weep into her pillows at the end of the night in the solace of her bedroom.

Then there was the joint funeral for both Jack and Gabriel. Friends and family from around the world who knew them both arrived. In line, people would touch each casket, say a few words, then move forward. Bria’s feet turned to stone as the line kept moving. The reality that neither one of her friends were coming back hurt her too much. If she said goodbye to them, then that meant they really weren’t coming back.

A world without them was a dark place to be.

She stood in front of Jack’s casket, hand caressing the gold placard on it. Resting her head on her arms, she spoke gently as if he could hear her. “Thank you, for everything you’ve done for me. I’m so sorry I couldn’t spend more time with you. But at least now I’ve got you to guide me through life.” Ending it with a kiss, she stood straight, wiping the few tears that she couldn’t hide. Then, she turned to Gabriel. 

Dragging her feet, she felt the dam breaking. Flashes of the times they spent together flooded her mind as she walked towards it. The one she cared for the most, the one she loved. The one she thought would be in her life forever… was gone. She flung herself on his casket, caressing it as if he were there holding her. Her body shook, her cries loud and heavy. Burying her head once more for privacy, she spoke. “Gabriel… you weren’t supposed to leave me! I thought… I thought you would be here with me forever. I never even got the chance to tell you that I love you. Now I’m alone.”

She was pulled away by one of his former Blackwatch members, guiding her away from the two and down to a more private area. As she lifted her head, she looked amongst the crowd of attendees and locked eyes with a shadow in the back. She blinked hard, trying to wipe the tears away, but just as soon as she saw it, it was gone.

The rest of the funeral and the dinner that followed were in lighter spirits. People talked fondly of their time spent with each of them, sharing photos and stories to anyone who would listen. Gabriel’s mother walked up to Bria, giving her a hug. She told her about how her baby boy would talk fondly of a girl who reminded him so much of herself that she had to meet her in person. Of course, this wasn’t the ideal meeting spot, but to see each other in person was good enough. She gave her a box with a few of his affects, things that were given to her when his room was cleared out. Then, they hugged for a long time. 

When it was over, Bria walked out towards the vehicles, box in hand and tears in her eyes. Subtle movement caught her eye, making her look to her side once more. The shadow was there again. She and the figure watched each other for a moment, but since she wasn’t moving, a gentle hand of one of the security guards brought her back to the moment. She looked once more, but it was gone just the same. Chalking it up to her emotions, she nodded, heading towards her escort home.

-

One year later, she stood in the graveyard, flowers in hand for two of her most favorite people. She often came there when she needed to feel closest to them, and it always warmed her when she felt as if they were there with her, watching over her. A bit cheerful this time, she stuck the roses in their holders, patting both spots where freshly mowed grass now lay as she sat between the two.

“Hey, guys. Sorry I haven’t stopped by in a few months, but I have good news! I finally got into MIT! I leave tomorrow! I know you two would have given me the biggest hugs and sent me off with a bang, but you two are busy protecting the world from the other realm. I’ll miss you both so much. Jack, you be good. Don’t pester Gabe too much. Gabe, don’t fall into his tricks! You know how much he likes to rile you up.”

Laughing to no one in particular, Bria caressed their headstones and said her goodbyes, then stood up, leaving them for good.

-

College was a different world than Bria once thought it would be. Orientation, class schedules and the like flew by in an instant. The best thing about being in America was the fact that no one really cared about her status. Students and Professors treated her normally, and she couldn’t be more thankful for that. On days where she was bogged down with school work, she’d find pieces of cake and an extra large coffee on her desk, or a ‘good luck on your exams’ note on her window. 

At first, she thought it was her RA or one of her suitemates checking in on her, but they all denied responsibility, though wishing they had some guardian snack giving angel. Confused, she accepted it, leaving out little trinkets or candies as a thank you. Being that it was Boston, she chalked it up to it being haunted and somehow she won the favor of a colonial ghost who just thought she was amazing.

Hell, it could have even been a secret admirer. Who knows.

During winter break, she decided to travel to Lake George, thrilled to experience time in the snowy mountains. Tucked away in her cabin, she listened to music, wrapped presents and binge watched every show she could. On nights where it was quiet, she stood on the balcony of her cabin with a cup of hot chocolate, wrapped in Gabriel’s sweater and beanie. It wasn’t enough to keep her warm, but she felt like she was sharing this peaceful moment with just him.

Christmas morning, she woke in her bed sideways, hair in a curly fro and half covered by blankets and tangled in the extra large sweater. After freshening up in the bathroom, she walked downstairs to begin another day of binge television and was stunned to see presents. She soon opened them, squealing to see a photo of Lena and Emily together in front of a Christmas tree. Inside of the largest box were candies, socks, scarves and stickers. There was a postcard with Big Ben in the backdrop stating ‘Wish you were here!’ The next gifts were a necklace with a gold African Violet that had a small diamond resting in the middle, and a cheesy friendship bracelet. Both of these gifts had no sender attached to them, but she accepted them all the same. 

Maybe the colonial ghost sent them..?

New Years Eve was spent in Times Square. Bria cheered and partied along with everyone as the ball dropped, signaling a bright new year with more excitement and hope for a better future. When she got back to her hotel room, she kissed the photo of Jack, Gabe and herself, wishing them both a safe New Year and wishes of them spending it with her.

-

College went by as fast as it started, earning her Bachelor's Degree with Honors. She watched as all of her classmates took photos, even joining in on a few herself. Graduation parties went on all weekend, one flowing after the other. Weeks later, she was on a flight to California. After stopping in Hollywood, sightseeing in San Francisco and getting lost in Los Angeles, she finally flew back to Greece to check on her mother. 

She hasn’t been the same since her father passed away. Gamila was always locked in her home, afraid to leave even for a walk in her gardens. She didn’t like the idea of Bria leaving her to go to school, fearing that she would walk out the door and never return. When her daughter arrived, she hugged her tightly and lovingly. Bria of course ate it up. 

A year of rest and relaxation went by and Bria finally accepted a job back in the States in her field of choice. She bought a house close to the city where she works and began creating her dream home. It took a few years, but she finally integrated her home to seamlessly work with her dream project. It was a piece of technology that she started tinkering with in college, and after a few errors, Calliope was born. 

It started off as a bracelet she would wear on occasion that with two clicks, it would cover her whole left arm. It also had the ability to appear when called or a flick of her wrist where it would show up as a tablet, but was soon able to control the whole home. From turning on lights, boiling water, and computing costs, Calliope was Bria’s brain child come to life. 

Publishing the news to her job lead to international news. Tech integrated into a person was well known, but with new possibilities to control and blend it into a home or buildings lead to exciting opportunities in the future. Companies worldwide wanted information, wanted a piece of the pie. Talon also wanted in as well.

The first time she was contacted by the terrorist organization was via email. Short, sweet and to the point: “You have something we are very interested in.” Chucking it up to another spam email, she deleted it. Next was cryptic voicemail messages that were deleted, flowers that were passed to her colleagues after the notes were tossed. Any and all pursuits were dismissed. Talon was responsible for the deaths of her father and friends, there was no way she would work with them. Not in her wildest dreams.

-

“Calliope, turn the lights on and warm up the leftovers in compartment A of the fridge please.” Shuffling through the front door with groceries, Bria kicked off her heels, tossing her keys on the table next to the door and headed to the kitchen. Music started playing in the background while she put the food away. Another Friday evening spent with good food and television. Untucking her shirt and unbuttoning her pants, Bria plopped on the couch, flipping through a few selections before deciding on a show about a doctor who just couldn’t decide between the surgeon or the nurse. It was that kind of trash drama she needed in her life.

“Ooh, that show is good. I heard he chose the nurse.”

Bria’s blood ran cold. Tossing the food on the coffee table, she flicked her wrist twice, awakening Calliope. Before she could even request for a scan, she shut off. 

“ _Chica_ , you don’t want to use that right now, would you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me too long to even get this out. For context, the timeline of all of these events in this chapter is about 10 years, give or take. One year after the funeral, 4-5 years for school, about a year for travel, another for spending it with her mother, and two years to get comfortable at work/develop Calliope.
> 
> I know, I know, it's not needed but I like explanations to be there. Enjoy my garbage.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Visitors don't always have to be bad, until they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't always mean to leave stuff on a cliffhanger. Also, compared to the other chapters, this was a bit shorter, but for good reason!

The air was thick with Bria’s dread. Whoever this silent intruder was managed to bypass her systems and shut it down momentarily. Not wanting to stir any ill will, she stilled. Footsteps of her intruder drew closer to her couch, and as hard as she tried, her unruly heart beat like a drum in her ears. 

“That’s a pretty sweet piece of technology you’ve got there, Bria Giselle Petras. Or should I call you Bunmi Okoye. Seems like your darling parents didn’t like your origins and sought to sweep them under the rug like their drug habits. Now, how does a Nigerian refugee who’s been adopted into high society go off and become a weapons engineer?”

Brushing the chill off of her, Bria turned her head to the side, trying to locate the person behind the voice. “Easy. Like most children of the Crisis, we were relocated from a high war zone to a safe one. Then, as you said, the people who adopted me didn’t realize I wouldn’t be one of those “Starving African” children and just ignored me until things benefitted them. I studied, moved away, made a name for myself and just kept their surname for job opportunities.”

With a chuckle, the intruder phased into view, taking a seat in the chair adjacent to the couch, one tech gloved hand stroking her chin, the other draped across her crossed legs. “Ah, that would make sense. My main question now is this. You haven’t been the social butterfly and have ignored Talon’s requests to join us. Why is that? Didn’t your mother teach you manners, or did you take after those trust fund babies and lack social etiquette?”

Eyebrow raised, Bria sat up a bit straighter, resting her elbow on her legs. “If I knew I would have to suffer through a roasting session by Talon, I would have burned the letters instead of storing them away. What do you want with me anyway? As far as I’m concerned and what I’ve read on you all, there’s more than enough grunts to fill positions that I would be thrown into. Besides, black and red just aren’t my colors.”

“We also have a grey and black uniform if you’d like.”

Deadpanned, Bria stood, picking up her leftovers and walking to the kitchen. “I’m not interested, thank you. Now, as a guest in my home, would you like something to drink? Eat maybe? I’ve got some aloe juice and more Chinese in the fridge if you’re hungry. I bet they aren’t feeding you too well. I can have something else prepared if you want.”

The intruder followed her to the kitchen, absolutely in awe of Bria. Sombra ran across a few people not willing to join Talon and had to muscle her way into getting what she needed in order to complete the job, but Bria was different. Her file was strictly on a ‘do not harm’ list, so aggression wasn’t in the cards. She was also on a high priority list, and the last time they had someone like that, they gained Maximillien. Whatever the leadership had in store for her must have been important.

Meanwhile, she shuffled in the kitchen, taking out leftover Chinese food and warmed it up. Grabbing a glass, she poured the aloe juice in a glass and slid it across the counter, not even looking to see if it would be caught. It was, and soon a plate of food and utensils sat in front of Sombra. Hopping up on the island, Bria sat cross legged in front of her interrogator and smiled. 

“So much for a trust fund kid, huh Olivia Colomar aka Sombra? Ah, is that surprise I see? Now, my systems may have been compromised, but I have ways of still extracting information when I see fit. You’ve been here a few times, outside casing the place and just dropping by in general to check my doors. Calliope picks up everything and sends the visuals to me. The food isn’t poisoned, by the way. I’m not that rude. I figured since this was a wasted trip anyway, we could eat and just chat for a little bit before you leave and go back to Talon empty handed.”

Dumbfounded, Sombra looked sheepishly at her food, trying to run over everything she’s done up to sneaking in. At a loss for words, she picked up her fork and began to eat. They sat in silence, the occasional clinks of silverware on plates echoed through the nearly sterile kitchen. Bria shook her wrist, waking up Calliope and was greeted with a holo screen. She checked her emails, responding back to questions her coworkers had and updating their group chat with memes and work related commentary. Sombra looked up, watching her seemingly cool manner and bit her lip in frustration. She now knew why Talon wanted her, but she wasn’t the one they needed to get her to bend to their will.

Looking around for any clues for ways to get her to side with her, she found a picture frame that sat next to the coffee maker. She looked it over and nearly choked. Bria looked up from her tablet, quirking a brow. Sombra waved her hand in the air and pat her chest at the same time. “Sorry, some rice got caught in my throat.” With a nod, she went back to scrolling her feed. Taking a swig of her juice, she sat up, placing her hands on each side of her on the island. “So, how long has it been since you’ve heard from any of your old Overwatch friends?”

Bria stopped, shaking her wrist and placing her plate next to her. “Lena’s the only one who has reached out constantly. Other than that it’s a postcard from Angela, Genji and Jesse whenever they can be bothered. I’m sure you’ve found their locations by now, so there’s no use in acting coy about any of this.” 

“Ah, alright. Just them, huh? What a shame. You’d think with how close everyone was, they’d look out for their old boss’ kid.”

“I keep contact limited with them for both their safety and mine. Others have tried to reach out, but there’s no point. Simple pleasantries are more than enough to catch up. Are you in the mood for desert? I stopped by the bakery down the road from here and picked up some tres leches.”

“Ooh, a woman after my heart. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to butter me up to side with you. I’ll take a piece.” Grabbing both of the plates, Bria chuckled, placing them in the sink and pressing a button on the counter to begin a self washing cycle. Two slices of cake slid out of the open slot on the fridge. She grabbed them, then two new forks and placed them on the counter.

“I’m not. I’m just being hospitable. It’s dumb, but that comment got to me. Talon has nothing I want, and the thing I do want is impossible to get. Even still, I wouldn’t be interested even if my life depended on it. Now, eat this cake and please leave. I have to work in a few hours and I’ve already have a headache.”

“Fair enough. But you’ve got me curious now. What is it that you want? You’ve got enough money, your house is beautiful and you have a cool job. It couldn’t be an object. Maybe… it’s someone?”

“Do you want a to-go box for this cake? Because I’m about to yeet you out of here.”

“Alright alright, don’t pull my leg, chica. I’ll eat, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

They ate the rest of their slices in silence. Plates cleared, dishes sorted and counters cleaned, Bria held the door open for her guest, resting against the solid oak arch. Turning to her, Sombra waved.

“Thanks for feeding me, but I think I’ll be seeing you sooner than later. We’ll be in touch.”

With that, she faded out of view. With a heavy sigh, Bria shut her door, resting against it.

“Oh, I’m sure of it.

\--

Back on the Talon transport, Sombra opened up her holopad, clicking the second contact. Silence, then connection. 

“I couldn’t convince her.”

“What do you mean you couldn’t convince her? That’s the whole reason why you were sent in the first place.

“I know, but with this no harm on her file, there wasn’t much else I could do. She’s trickier than we first thought.”

“How the hell is she tricky? Her schedule is so boring we had to fire three different spies because they fell asleep following her.”

“She knows my real name, what I look like and has digital proof of my existence. That’s more than enough for me to be wary of approaching as lax as we have.”

The person on the other end grunted.

“Fine. I’ll see what we can do.”

“You know what needs to be done to get her. Just do it.”

The line disconnected. Putting her communicator on silent, Sombra smirked. Patting her belly full of good food, she sat back in her chair and dozed off.

-

Weeks passed since Bria last saw her intruder/unwanted dinner guest. She tightened up security on her home, running scans of everything more frequently. She also started leaving at different times just to throw off anyone who might have followed her. The letters stopped coming. That put her on edge.

When she received a dozen roses at work, she took them gladly, thinking it was a lovely checking in gift from Lena. Instead, the card simply read _‘adamandia.’_ The flowers were quickly trashed. They were just playing cruel at this point. Her anxiety ran up to 10, and she couldn’t concentrate at work any longer. Shooting off a rushed email excusing herself from work for the day, she gathered her things and headed home, not wanting to stop for anything. Once she was home, she locked herself in her home, putting it in high alert.

Then she did the one thing she hasn’t done in a year. She drank.

The first shot was to calm her nerves. The second was to calm the nerves that jumped up from the first one. The third was to tell the first two that they were punks and they didn’t do their job right. They were soon thrown back up since she decided to drink Everclear on an empty stomach. Grabbing two slices of bread and a bottle of water, she forced herself to eat before passing out on her couch. 

When she woke up, it was well into the night. Her head throbbed, but not as badly as it could have. Bria grabbed the bottle of water and downed it then tossed it in the recycling bin. Her body hurt all over, and she had a fine layer of sweat over her body. Deciding that today was the absolute worst, she walked upstairs to her bathroom, tossed a bath bomb and some relaxing salts in and got into the bath.

First she scrubbed her skin till it was warm to the touch. Then she drained some of the water and ran fresh hot water into the tub until it was nearly unbearable. Only when the water cooled down and she was covered in wrinkles did she decide to get out. Rinsing herself off with the handheld sprayer, she climbed out of the tub, throwing on a fuzzy bathrobe and began her skincare routine. Midway through, she blinked. Was there residual steam from the tub in the air still?

Oiled, moisturized and seemingly pleased with her results, Bria brushed her teeth, then walked to her bedroom to find pajamas. Throwing her robe to the floor, she looked around in her drawers, looking over a few long t-shirts and nightgowns. She settled her hand on one drawer, hovering over the handle for a few moments before pulling it open. In the drawer were Gabriel’s old sweatshirts and hoodies. Years haven’t been kind enough to hold his scent, but they were still comfortable and his.

That was more than enough for her.

She grabbed a giant black sweater and threw it on, sliding on a pair of socks and some panties, then walked over to her bed. Sliding into bed, she tapped the lamp twice, plunging the room in darkness. After a few minutes of tossing and turning, she still couldn’t sleep. Unrest just settled over her. Her hands caressed the sweater, stroking the material. She closed her eyes, trying her hardest to remember his warm smile, the way he smelled, how tight his hugs were, how delicious his food was. Her heartbeat pulsed between her legs. Clutching her thighs together, one brave hand slid down to soothe the need, curling her toes momentarily from her touch. Maybe this was just what she needed.

“Planning on rutting in your bed like a filthy whore again?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bunmi- My gift


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the past comes to punch you in the face.

“Calliope! Lights!”

Nothing. The power was cut shortly after she turned off her bedroom light. Getting no response, Bria sat up, attempting to flick her wrist. Instead, her wrist was tightly gripped, talons pricking the delicate skin. She cried out as she was dragged from bed, her knees sliding across the carpet. Trying to pull herself free was useless, instead she was tossed in front of her intruder, slamming against the door, knocking the wind from her.

Stammering, Bria tried to stand up, but a steel toed boot connected to her stomach, holding her in place where she sat. Gripping the leg, she tried to look up at the person connected to it, but saw nothing. “Who are you?”

“Doesn’t matter. Tell me, why is it that you have been so rude to us and not responded to any of our letters? We even sent someone out but you fed them and returned them to us. Now I have to retrieve you and instead of a warm meal I see you playing with yourself. Tell me, what kind of impression does that leave on your soon to be employer?”

She laughed nervously, trying to push the boot away but with no luck. “Well, no one told you to come into my house when I’m in this state. You got an eye full of someone’s private moment.” The boot pressed tighter, causing her to cough and struggle to breathe.

“You really think this is the first time I’ve been here? After Sombra left I’ve been here almost every night. Every brush of cold air you’ve felt against your skin was me. Any time you heard some loud bang outside, it was me. Eyes that aren’t there? You bet it was me. Your security systems are flawless, I’ll give you that. One thing it doesn’t pick up on is smoke, which you should definitely look into. I’ve been able to get in and out with ease.

You are a tricky one. Changing your schedule and leaving at different times is smart when you’re being tracked, but that’s elementary. Most people would have given up by now, but you’re high priority. Though, I don’t think we really want a sex crazed whore on our team. Maybe we can put those urges to good use, huh?”

The pressure to her stomach became unbearable. With a grunt, Bria slammed her wrist against his leg, sending a light blade through his calf. Her intruder let up, howling in pain and pushed off of her, pouring into smoke towards the bed. Seeing her chance, she stood up, grabbing the door handle and ran down the hallway towards the stairs. Just as she went to take her first step down, she was grabbed by her hair and slammed to the ground. Dazed, she was yanked up by a strong hand gripped tightly around her neck. Clawing helplessly at it, she flailed in his arms as he panted, trying to calm down.

“Very funny. Pull something like that again and I’m breaking your arm.” 

He tossed her to the ground in front of him, giving her a few moments to catch her breath while he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his utility belt. “Since you don’t seem to want to go willingly, I’ll just have to shackle you and drag you in myself.” His gravelly voice echoed through the quiet home. Moonlight poured in through the windows, revealing the barn owl mask attached to the shadowed figure in front of her. Fear made her blood turn to ice. Her heart beat pounded in her head. 

Talon sent Reaper himself to retrieve her.

News reports did enough justice to strike fear in her of this menace. Tales of bodies piled in empty buildings after Talon infiltrated companies, executives decapitated and their heads mailed back with claw marks down their cheeks, bloody footprints that seemed to disappear after the scene of a mass homicide were enough to put this man on the map for most wanted criminals. As much research that she has done on him couldn’t prepare her for this unwelcome visit.

Now she just had to find a way to live long enough to escape.

The cuffs jingled, the metal on his boots clanked as he approached her. As he leaned down to grab at her once more, he was knocked back by three light bullets to the chest. Stunned, he fell back towards the stairs. He grabbed at the railing, but was pushed back by a kick to the chest. He fell down a few steps, then dissipated into smoke once more, slipping out of sight. Caressing her throat, Bria limped towards her hallway closet, opening it and searching for her weapons case. The shots at best bought her some time, but the way his armor gleamed, she knew it was tough enough to withstand simple weaponry. 

Finding the only thing within reach, she grabbed the barbed wire bat and slammed the door shut. If she went downstairs, he would have the advantage of darkness. Staying in the hallway wasn’t going to cut it since he would see her. The best thing she thought to do was to run to her closet.

In horror movies, the killer always corners the prey when they least expect it. Bria thought they were always so dumb to hide off in dead ends where their chances of escape dwindled, but here she sat in her underwear and too big of a sweater, crouched in her walk in closet with a barbed wire bat, shaking like a leaf. Trying to control her breathing, she bit the sweater to muffle her sounds, eyes glued to the cracked door. She heard a few steps, then silence. Next was a chuckle, and the sound of metal on metal.

“Dog tags? I didn’t know you were in the military.”

Fuck.

Reaching for her neck, she patted around, noticing that it was especially bare. She wore Gabriel’s dog tags ever since she could remember. The only time she took them off was when she was flying, but even then it was back on within a few minutes. They must have been snatched off when she was choked.

“Wait, these aren’t yours. Are these from your boyfriend? Let’s see who it is.”

Silence, then laughter. Reaper all but lost his composure over them. Growing angrier, Bria nearly revealed her position, but held still. He was doing this to taunt her and she knew it. If she kept calm, he wouldn’t be able to find her.

“These are Gabriel Reyes’ dog tags. Wasn’t he that jackass from Overwatch who got blown up in that explosion 10 years ago? I thought your obsession over him was just limited to clothes but goddamn, you’ve got it bad for a dead man! What, do you think he’s going to pop out of the grave and save you?

What do you think your precious Gabe would say to all of this? The picture frames of dead friends all over your house? His clothes in your closet? You grinding yourself to orgasm over the thoughts of him, calling out his name like he’s below you? Give it up. The man is dead, just like your father, and just like the rest of your friends.”

The closet door opened fully. She gripped angrily at the handle and glared at him with all the hatred she had in her body.

“I know he’s dead, but this is what brings me peace! If you weren’t such an impossible fucking monster than you would know what loss feels like.”

Turning to the closet, Reaper watched closely as Bria emerged, tear streaked and livid, gripping a bat in her hands. Fury radiated off of her small frame and he loved every minute of it. “How did I know that would bring you to me?”

“Because you feed off of sadness and fear like some depraved incubus. Now, give me the dog tags and I won’t beat you with this bat.”

“Why? Does this piece of junk mean anything to you?”

“It means the world to me. Now please, just give it back.”

Reaper laughed, holding the dog tags above his head. With the limited patience she had disappearing, Bria swung the bat, connecting it to his side and watching in horror as it disintegrated into shards of wood and twisted metal. With his free hand, Reaper grabbed her arm and squeezed, snapping the bones with ease.

She screamed, grabbing her newly damaged arm and fell to her knees, rocking herself as she cried. Crouching in front of her, he grabbed for her jaw, turning her face towards his mask.

“That man is gone. You need to give it up. He’s never going to come back. Pining over a war criminal won’t revive him.”

“Shut up! You don’t know anything about him! How can you say anything about a person you don’t even know?”

“Because I can, Giselle.”

No.

Oh no.

Pulling his hood back, he reached by his chin, clicked a few buttons and pulled off the mask, dropping it in front of them both. Long salt and pepper curled hair framed an ashen grey face. Scars riddled his face. New ones she didn’t remember seeing before joined old. Vibrant eyes were replaced by blazing red ones. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she used her good hand to caress his face. He pulled back but she persisted, touching the cold skin. She sobbed, dropping her head down in a mix of emotions. 

“This whole time..? All of these years?”

“I didn’t need to be found.”

“I thought you were dead. I mourned you. I-”

“I know, Bri. I know. I kept an eye on you this whole time. I thought if I kept myself to the shadows it would be enough. I thought things would have died down after you started working, but when you created your tech and Talon heard of it. I didn’t want to play favorites because if they knew any of my weaknesses, they would use it against me. If I fail in bringing you in, they will kill you. Either you come with me, or you die.”

Shaking her head, Bria cradled her arm, numb to everything.

“Fine. I’ll go. Just… let me put on some pants first and shut the house down.”

Gabriel held a hand out to her, but she smacked it away, stumbling to her feet. Walking to her closet, she grabbed a pair of sweatpants, clumsily stepping into them, then slid slippers on. By the time she came out of the closet, he was already re-masked. They made eye contact, then with a heavy sigh, she walked to the control panel on her wall and tapped a few buttons.

“Calliope, execute home shut down sequence and switch full controls to the band.”

“Thank you, Miss Bria. What is the code word to initiate shutdown sequence?”

She turned to look at Gabriel, then ducked her head down low. “Bria Giselle Petras-Reyes.”

“Thank you. Commencing home shut down. I will see you shortly.”

As the panel displayed a timer, she gingerly held out her broken arm towards the panel, allowing the band on her arm to sync to it. Chewing on her lip from the pain, she ignored the footsteps behind her, wanting nothing more than this night to be over and a bullet to mercifully connect through her head.

Anything would be better than this.

With a ding, the band glowed and the panel powered off.

“It’s done.”

“Good, let’s go. Don’t worry about your arm. It’ll be taken care of when we get on board.”

When they reached the drop ship, Gabriel shackled her good arm to the seat. She complied with every movement, barely made a sound when he worked on her arm and refused to turn her face towards him the entire time. Once he was finished putting her arm in a cast, she was asleep, leaning her body fully in the chair.

-

The jolt of the ship landing roused her from her turbulent sleep. Sitting up, she flexed her arm, wincing at the residual pain, though it wasn’t as bad as before. He was already standing in front of her with keys in hand. Casting her gaze to the floor, she let him remove the handcuffs and grab her arm to stand. Not wanting to cause any more friction, she became malleable, letting Gabriel pull her from the ship and through the hangar. 

People sidestepped the two as they made their way into the sterile hallways, whispering about the new reluctant recruit. For her, memories of high school came sweeping back to her like a whirlwind, and she shut down further, becoming a shell just to get through the motions. Gabriel, now full on in Reaper mode decided to bank on others watching and pulled her a bit harder. After walking for what seemed like hours, the two of them stood in front of a locked interrogation room. Hitting a few keys, the door slid open and he shoved her inside, causing her to stumble and fall into a chair.

“Medical staff will be by shortly to examine you. Then you’ll be able to shower and change into your uniform. You’ll be meeting the council in three hours.”

Giving no reply, he scoffed, letting the door shut. He turned to leave, but stopped in his tracks when he heard sobbing. Shaking it off, he continued on to report his return and let the others know that he completed the job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note to try and not make her seem above all danger, Calliope is more or less a utility belt for her. The way I see it working is kind of like Jarvis for Tony Stark, but she's more or less able to do some protection and the like with it, thus the light blade and the mini gun. It's not a complete weapon, but it's enough to get her to and from and keep her safe. It'll be built upon later, but not too much.
> 
> Also I'm a trash bag when it comes to fight scenes. They aren't my strong suit.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Interrogations and first mission jitters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Little bit of teasing. I swear, I feel like this is just going to be a bunch of will they/wont they until they fuck like rabbits for three chapters straight. Maybe. Who knows.

Being a shell was the thing that saved Bria all through high school. Her escape was the many projects she had plans for. She often thought about her future and what life would be like 10 years from where she was, but never in a million years did she think she would be in a holding cell of the very organization that was responsible for flipping her world upside down.

Just as Reaper said, medical staff were in moments after he left. Vitals, measurements, general questions and poking and prodding commenced. Any question they had was answered with a grunt or one words. Thankfully, they gave her a shot of some wonderful concoction that took away the pain from her broken arm and headache. Though, she did notice her movements became a bit more fluid. Either she was given a muscle relaxer, or something to get her to talk when it came time for her interrogation.

They better be prepared for the most boring conversation, because that’s what she was going to give them.

Freshly showered, clothed and given light snacks, Bria was escorted to the conference room. Electric cuffs buzzed, clanking together on occasion. She kept her head low, studying the details on the carpets. Soon she was halted. A knock, hushed conversation, then creaking sounds lead her inside the dimly lit room. She was placed in a chair roughly by the guard who separated her shackles and attached them to the chair, giving it a good jiggle before walking away.

Where she sat, the light above shrouded her view of the others in the room, but she knew there were at least 10 others in the room. One of them was Gabriel. Not wanting to do anything other than what she was asked or shoved to do, Bria stilled herself, controlling her breathing, tuning into the heavy footfalls that approached her. She felt his energy before he approached. The gauntlet gave it away.

“Welcome, Bunmi. I know you go by another monaker, but I’m refusing to address my kinfolk as anything other than what she was born as. I’m glad you finally decided to see the light and join us here at Talon. I hear you gave Reaper a run for his money.”

Nodding her head, she studied the gauntlet, noting every small detail she could take in from this harsh lighting. Two small chips near the bullet slots on the back of the gauntlet. Simple dents where fist met mortar. Oh? A spring loose near the plating going by his wrist? Easy fix, maybe two to three hours tops to take everything apart and oil it.

Apparently, Doomfist didn’t take kindly to her reply, lifting the gauntlet to his field of vision and seeing what she pointed out what she thought was thoughts in her head. A chuckle echoed behind him. He joined in, then leaned his head to the side. “I guess whatever they gave you before coming in here made your lips loose and mind muddled. Not to worry, that should make things easier.”

“All I ask for in return is a monte cristo sandwich and some juice. Those are my payment requirements.”

“Come again?”

“If you want your gauntlet fixed, then I require the sandwich as a payment.”

He paused. Rolling her head, Bria squinted her eyes, trying to make out his face. Instead of a stern smug she was met with a delightful smile. Doomfist laughed, full bellied and heartily. The boom of his voice echoed through the otherwise quiet room and equally quiet hallway. Most people when face to face with Doomfist rarely saw this side of him. She, unfortunately didn’t know any better. Hell, if she was going to die, at least she could make it entertaining before going out.

“I like her. I think we’ll keep her alive for now.”

Clearing his throat, he began his interrogation as the others watched on. Walking around, he noted the bracelet on her wrist, the sling her arm rested in and scratch marks on the back of her neck and the tips of her shoulder blades. “So, Bunmi. Tell me about the technology you call ‘Calliope.’”

“Calliope is my AI system that helps me navigate the world and controls my home. It also is a very good cook, but doesn’t tell good jokes.”

“How did you develop this with limited supplies at your company?”

“I bought almost all of the tech used in this off the black market. My company is very limited in stock and the levels of tech that I needed were government grade and above. Instead of buying the tech and flagging myself on the watchlist, I just bought pieces separately and put them together.”

“So what you’re saying is this high tech device that you patented is a backyard rig at best?”

“Of course not. It’s more than that. Welding and piecing something like this together is just the first step. I can make something similar to this in a day. Now to get the AI as integrated as it is and give it the abilities it needs to run as efficiently as it could takes years to make.”

Doomfist grazed his hand over the bracelet, being careful to turn it in his hand. It was as simple as she made it seem. To the untrained eye, it looked like a regular bracelet one would buy from a high end jewelry store. Those who knew what to look for saw it for what it really was. She winced when he pulled a bit harder than meant to. “How long did it take you to develop the system?”

“8 years. The mathematics behind the whole thing to make it actually functional took the bulk of the timing. I didn’t have a coding background, so in order to get everything the way I wanted to, I had to study on top of my school work. I don’t think I finished really hammering out the final points of this until a few months before the patent cleared.”

“Ah. So, what makes this any different than the technology already on the market? AI systems are a dime a dozen. I could go and order about 20 different versions of this, as well as get an omnic that mimics just what you created in a bracelet.”

Finally meeting his eyes, she smiled wide. “Because I integrated her to be part of my conscious. Instead of creating an omnic, I figured out how they worked and made it so that I could harness this without losing my own self. I won’t need bulky armor to run her. 

All that’s needed is three sensors attached to my wrist and behind my ears and I could guard all vital parts of my body. The reason why it wasn’t used in my fight against Reaper is because I wasn’t expecting him to show up. The kinks aren’t all the way out, but if I could show you some basics, then you’d understand.”

“Hmm. Humor me, then. Do you have these sensors on your body now?”

“Yes, they were activated when I moved her consciousness to my bracelet.”

“Alright. Show me the Pantheon.”

Nodding, Bria closed her eyes, sitting silently for a few moments. From her bracelet, a window appeared and hovered just in front of Doomfist, displaying the information on the historical building, just barely holding on after a particularly rough fight during the Omnic Crisis. 

“Would you like a live feed of the building? Blueprints? Names of the security guards on sight?”

Satisfied, Doomfist shook his head. The projection dropped from view, and the glowing stopped. Turning his back to her, he addressed the room.

“Amethyst. Her code name is Amethyst.”

-

After the interrogation, Bria was briefed on her position within Talon. Of course it was similar to what she did for work currently, but with more liberties and endless supplies of technology. She would repair and update the tech currently used by field agents and the elites, making it seamless and less susceptible to damage. She would have an hour break, work 9 hours a day and have two hours for section pt. When needed, she will be included in mission briefings for blueprint use and answer any questions that may have come up. In exchange she would get a massive pay bump and her own quarters.

Honestly, working for Talon wasn’t bad, daily death threats aside and all.

Walking into her room after leaving medical again for another evaluation, she took in the small suite and sighed. It wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was definitely cozy. In the living area was a flat screen television on an entertainment stand. The couch and coffee table were tasteful, but boring. The kitchenette was a decent size, but she would definitely get a rolling island to add surface area. There was a kitchen table that sat four, but it was small enough that two would be comfortable eating, four good for card games if the time ever arised. 

Behind one door was a full sized shower/tub combination with a toilet, mirror and sink with just enough space to store small toiletries. Her bedroom featured a queen sized bed, one small dresser and a semi deep closet enough to store uniforms and some street clothes, as well as any bags and other field required items for missions. The bathroom thankfully connected from both sides, so she could easily lock the door if anyone came in, but she couldn’t think of anyone wanting to visit.

It wasn’t home. It never would have been home. Home was locked down a few thousand miles away, but it was definitely not here.

Walking out of the bedroom, she looked in her fridge, trying to see if it was stocked with anything. Inside was a plated meal of beans and rice, empanadas and a slice of tres leches cake. A note that read _‘Welcome to the club, chica’_ sat on top of the covered food. Next to the plated food was three juices and a couple of bottles of water. With a smile, she took it out, warmed what she could and ate in relative silence. 

Hours passed and no one came to bother her. Figuring this was any better chance she could get, she went to her empty bedroom, curled up in the scratchy boring blankets and had restless sleep.

-

Bria’s first few months were boring, to say the least. She was up by 3 am every day for evaluation on her arm until it was fully healed. She then resumed regular pt with her team and had breakfast. After breakfast, she was given an hour to get ready for her day. Once she was at work, she worked on earpieces, visors and masks of various agents. Her work day went by too slow since the tasks she was given was finished within a few hours of her being there. 

To challenge her, her teammates gave her pieces they weren’t able to fix and watched in fascination as she tinkered on them, opening things that refused to budge for others, super small nano chips that were bent just slightly so they stopped working and guns that seemed too jammed for their own good. Soon she was moved to heavier machines since menial tasks were too easy for her at the moment. She shined brightest here. The nostalgia of working on big tech made her heart soar. Hours flew by with her burning away problems one after another. 

People who saw her once for being given special favor by the higher council now saw that she was just like them, an equal in the struggle for getting work done. In exchange, once lonely lunches were now crowded with some of her team members and others in similar groups joining in to talk about their days and joke. 

After one lunch, Bria walked in to see everyone around her work station. She stilled for a moment, walking very carefully to her station to see Doomfist’s gauntlet and a sandwich sat next to it. They turned to her, waiting to see her reaction. All she did was laugh. She quickly explained it away, and they seemed to buy it.

All was going well, until the day of her first mission briefing.

Her phone chimed along with a few select seatmates at the breakfast table, letting them know they will be attending a meeting instead of going to work. Sharing concerned looks, they struggled to finish their meals, finding themselves pushing the food around instead of chowing down like the others.

The long walk to the meeting hall was silent. No one dared to speak so they wouldn’t come off as a coward. With her hair tied back in a neat bun, Bria couldn’t use her comfort strand, but instead caressed her bracelet. When they arrived, they found their names on select seats. Her co workers sat in the back with the crowd, but Bria’s was in front.

Shit.

They didn’t have to wait very long. Others soon filed into the room, with Doomfist, Sombra and Reaper being the final ones to walk in. Seeing him for the first time made her heart beat fast, but outside she refused to show any signs of distress or excitement. Doomfist stood next to her, giving her a nod before turning to the group. Seeing where everyone else sat compared to her, she realized what was happening and prepared herself as best as she could.

This was a show of her technology.

Shaking her wrist a few times, Calliope connected to the other sensors on her body, waiting for cues that didn’t need to be directed her way.

“Good morning everyone. Today’s mission will be brief. We will be extracting sensitive files from an estranged business partners of ours. After much debate, the Orin Company refused to meet a financial agreement with us, and have also refused to give us any of our data back. Hacking their systems have been a failure, since the documents are on paper, the dinosaurs that they are. I digress, they are located in a secure building adjacent to their headquarters, guarded and patrolled every hour.”

With a flash, the building was projected onto holo screens in front of everyone’s seat. The largest screen sat behind Doomfist as he spoke. Patting the back of Bria’s chair, he continued.

“We will have three teams working to extract the files and secure those needed documents with little to no damage to the building itself. On your screen you will see the ways that each team shall go, and three exits for each and every one of you. If those do not work, then you will be forced to stay behind until you can be extracted.

Team A will be lead by Reaper. You are the heavy hitters. What he focuses on, you clean up. Team B will be lead by Sombra. What she hacks, you disguise and assure that they are unable to get their systems up while we infiltrate. The last team will be lead by Feng. You are the ones who will sit back and keep coms up, as well as alert if backup is called. This should take no longer than two hours. I believe Amethyst has their guard schedules and walkthroughs done?”

“Everything will be loaded into a mission briefing sent to your emails by the time this meeting is done. I’ve also updated everyone’s communicators to list who your point of contacts for your specific teams will be.”

“Fantastic. I expect there to be no failures. If there are, do not bother to come back here. Dismissed.”

Exhaling, Bria disconnected the holograms from her system, compiling the data and sending it off as requested. Doomfist patted her on the shoulder, muttering a ‘good work’ before leaving the room. Her coworkers looked on in amazement. Walking to team C, she stood with a few others, checking their emails to make sure the mission briefing was sent out. One of her teammates walked up to her and beamed. “Wow, I didn’t even know you could do that!”

“The funny thing is, I didn’t think I could either.”

-

The mission was of course a success. Minimum damage, three dead on the enemy's side and a few bruises on Talon’s behalf and extracted files. If missions could always go that smooth, the higher council would be happy. Bria stayed behind for the last drop ship, collecting damaged communicators and weapons to mark them for repairs. Once the crates were piled into the ship, she walked on, taking her seat and buckling up before pulling up her holopad to type her mission report and send alerts to her work team to let them know they would be getting a few crates in that evening.

She peeked up from her screen to see a disgruntled Reaper board the ship last, taking a seat next to her and slumping into the chair. Outside of the pilots, they were alone in the back of the ship. Turning to look at him, she noted dents in his armor and two broken blades. There were a few blood marks, but it didn’t look like they were internal. She must have been staring too hard, because he turned his head to her own, bringing her out of her staring.

“I could take my clothes off if you want to get a better view below.”

Taken aback, Bria stammered, shutting her holo screen to turn towards him. He laughed darkly, the voice changer in his mask making it more grating on her ears. “You know that’s not what I was trying to do.”

“If memory serves me correctly, it would say otherwise.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“And you’re a pervert.”

Throwing her hands in the air, she growled in frustration, reaching for her seatbelt to fling it off and walk to the other side. Just as she stood up, they hit a rough patch of air, throwing her off of her feet and into his lap. His grip on her hips were tight as they swayed in the air. She closed her eyes and held onto his arms while trying to steady herself. When it passed, they still didn’t let go of each other.

Realizing the position he had her in, Reaper proceeded to shove her to the ground, making it a point to angle his legs away from her eyes. Bria fell to her knees, looking back at him in anger. She stood, wiping her clothes off while he looked away.

“Told you you were a pervert.”

“Fuck you, Reaper.”

“In your dreams, Amethyst. Also, when we land, we are both going straight to a meeting with Sombra and Doomfist.”

-

The rest of the flight was in silence. Bria sat on the opposite side of the ship, typing away her mission reports and replying to work emails. Reaper was silent, but a telltale snore gave away what he really was doing. She chuckled, but continued on. When they landed, he was awake and at the door. She stood behind him, checking her list for the crates before the door slid open and let them off. As instructed, she went straight to the meeting room with the others, waving off her coworkers and her boss.

They sat three chairs away from each other, her head resting on her freshly healed arm on the rest, him staring at his phone. When Doomfist and Sombra walked in, they noted their seating, turned to each other and smirked. Sombra sat next to Bria and Doomfist sat at the head of the table.

“I’ll make this brief. Bunmi, you’re joining us on another mission a week from now. This information doesn’t leave the room, understand?” She nodded and he smiled. Reaper all but sat up straight in his chair, his anger radiating off of him in smoky waves. “Good. I will let everyone know more when it gets closer, but I hope you practice your ballroom dancing in the meantime. You are dismissed.”

Before the girls could stand, Reaper stood in his chair, knocking it to the ground and storming from the room, slamming the door and splintering the wood in the process. Olivia and Akande sighed. Bria looked in horrid fascination. “Don’t worry about him Bi, he’s normally this moody. We just ignore him and charge damages to his account.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They can't all be winners.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡ʘ ͜ʖ ͡ʘ)
> 
> SMUT. You've been warned.

Reaper barreled down the halls, shoving agents to the side as he marched on. When he was in fury mode, no one messed with him. He seemed to be a small trigger away from a massacre at when he was like this, so everyone has learned to just stay away from him. Keying his way to the room, he walked in once the door slid to the side, locked it and ripped off his mask. Taking his armor and throwing it haphazardly around the room, he made his way to his bedroom, crawling on the bed, his full body quaking with uncontrolled emotions. His body seemed too hot. Smoke seemed to shroud his vision, but he welcomed it. Today was too much for him.

He closed his eyes, writing in his bed in his boxers, thinking back to the drop ship. Bria’s so fucking stupid. Why would she just jump up when there was turbulence? Was he really that bad to be around? She would have snapped her neck if he hadn’t acted. So why the hell did that simple interaction make him so rock hard?

He tried to control himself, but there was a particularly rough patch of air that made him grind into her. She of course didn’t notice. Of course she didn’t. She was so scared. All he could think about was the way her body moved in her moments of passion in her bedroom. He watched her intently while she rocked herself over the edge countless times on her kitchen island. The cries she made, the sounds of her breath hitching when she caught. How pretty she looked slicked with sweat and passion, you’d thought she was a pro. He didn’t see any other man around her, hasn’t seen any that stayed longer than two weeks when they didn’t get what they wanted from her. If he didn’t know any better, she was still untouched by anyone but herself and doctors.

He practically jumped in his hands. Gripping his dick harder, he pumped himself with a bit more urgency, covering his eyes with his other hand. He thought about the way her eyes would haze over when she found that bundle of nerves, the way her body practically vibrated and the way her voice caught a bit higher. Slick drenched fingers left puddles on her comforter. He wished that was his hand giving her that much pleasure. She always put on such a show as if she knew he was there, legs spread wide, ass hoisted in the air with one hand on her clit, stroking and rubbing it while her other hand reached inside and rocked her over again in back to back orgasms.

Each time she came, she cried his name wantonly. Each time he nearly blew his cover.

His breath was haggard, his orgasm near. His balls wound tightly against himself, fist pumping faster than before. His whole body bounced with the force of his ministrations. The sounds of her slick echoed in his memory. The time when she made herself squirt after choking herself with his dog tags tipped him over. Biting his arm, he practically howled as he came, spraying his chest and stomach as his abs constricted to the thoughts of her collapsing to the ground in post orgasm bliss fueling him over worse than before.

Catching his breath, he tried to come back down to Earth. His whole body relaxed, finally giving him a calm head and peace. If only he could get his mind straight after everything was all said and done. Gathering himself together, he carefully sat up, bundling his sheets up and tossing them to the corner of the room, walking to his bathroom and jumping straight into the shower. The warmth of the water brought him back to life, and with a sigh, his hand slid back down to his core, pumping lazily and resting his head on his arm against the tile.

-

Ballroom dancing was a weird subject for Bria. She was able to do the waltz, but the foxtrot caught her off guard. She also managed to thoroughly confuse her coworkers when she would three, four and eight step her way around the laboratory. She easily explained it away as her learning how to do dances from her favorite old movies, so they left her alone. At night after dinner, Olivia stopped by to help out in exchange for dinner. 

By helping out, they practiced for 10 minutes, ate, then watched television.

The week was over faster than it started. Piled in the room late at night was everyone with the addition of Moira. Bria remembered her in passing, but never really spoke with her. If she needed anything, she always went to Angela, but that was about it. She almost immediately didn’t trust the doctor. No one else in the room seemed to care for her either.

“Thank you for joining me on this mission. Bunmi, sit back, you won’t need to project for this briefing. This one is a bit trickier than most, but it is still an undercover mission. We shall be going to a masquerade party during the day. The host of this esteemed event is a diplomat on the run from Monaco. He borrowed a rather large sum of money from Maximillien and is dodging all of his requests for the funds back, so we shall be extracting it personally from his computer.

Why the chosen time frame, we don’t know. From what I hear, the target tends to lock himself away in his hideout at night, and the security is too tight to make it a clean execution. As much as I would like to go in myself and ring his neck, doing so will be tricky. For that reason, I am sitting out the mission as an active agent.

Everyone has their costumes custom made with matching masks, so you won’t have to worry about that. Moira and myself will stay behind to keep communications open from the drop ship. If anything goes down, we will aid in the escape. Sombra, Amethyst and Reaper, you three will be guests of the party. After schmoozing your way through the crowds, Sombra will go and pull out exactly 1,500,000 euro from his accounts. Amethyst, when you get in the building, I expect a map of the floor plans to be extracted and sent to everyone. Reaper, you will be there to distract and muscle if you need to. Since you can slip into places undetected, I’ll need you to break into his office with little to no alarm.

Once the money has been pulled and secured from the thumb drive, the three of you will slip to the rooftops where the drop ship will be waiting. If anything goes awry, bail on the plan and get out as fast as you can. Execute only if necessary. Got it?”

Bria shuffled nervously in her seat, tugging at the bottom of her uniform jacket. Her first huge mission is in a foreign country with high stakes and lots of witnesses. She could only imagine what would happen if she was caught.

She couldn’t risk being caught at this rate.

The group was soon off in the drop ship, resting in their respective seats. It was quiet in the cabin, save for Olivia and Akande’s snoring. Bria tried resting, but every time the ship jumped, she did as well. Turning to her jumpy seat neighbor, Moira handed her a pill. Turning it over in her hand, Bria looked at it, not wanting to put a foreign medicine in her system.

“It’s for sleep. I won’t drug you without your consent.”

“I think I’ll be fine without it, but thank you.

Sighing, Moira shoved a bottle of water in her hand. “The way that you’re shaking tells me otherwise, and the way your eyes dilated indicated fear to me during the mission briefing. You’re better to me rested and calm than nervous and prone to mistakes.”

She held it in her hands, contemplating the pros and cons when she heard a grunt from across the way. “Take it. She’s telling the truth.” Reaper stared at Bria, holding her gaze from the safety of his mask before turning his head to the side, going back to sleep. Bria nodded, finally taking the medicine. It didn’t take long to work, and soon she was asleep.

-

“Wake up sleeping beauty, it’s time to get ready.”

Jumping awake, Bria gripped Sombra’s wrist, looking from where her hand was to her confused face. Exhaling, she let it go, standing up from her chair and stretching. “I’m sorry, you just caught me off guard is all.”

“Yeah, well let’s hope these reflexes of yours keep you alive. Come on, let’s get dressed. We got food in the back and bathrooms as well.”

The two women walked to the back of the ship, entering a storage room in the back of the ship big enough to fit three large crates of weapons and other needed items. Today it was a dressing room. Bria walked to the garment bag labeled with her name and saw the small box next to it. She unzipped it and was absolutely in awe. The white sleeveless dress with iridescent butterflies cascading down in a wave of wings and flowers to the bottom of the gown left her speechless. She was soon undressed, sliding the dress on and zipped it up to the side. The matching mask was accented by the same butterflies and pearls on the dress. She fixed her hair to have a high bun on top with the rest flowing down to her back. Turning to Olivia, she smiled.

“Damn, Bi, you look amazing!”

“Thank you, so do you!”

Bria helped her with her hair, twisting it into a low bun. Since her dress was different shades of a rich orange shade with hints of pinks and purples scattered along the mermaid style dress, she needed something that wouldn’t take away from the dress. Helping her tie up the mask, they both gave each other a final look over, then packed their items away. When they were finished, they walked out to the main seating area, meeting a rich wine red suited Reaper.

His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, salt and pepper curls seemed brushed out and gelled to form a wave of thick hair at the base of his neck. His suit was accented with pieces of black caged armor. Where it connected to the suit, black roses held it in place with red accents. His mask was bone white on the top that bled into a deep red, giving the effect of being dipped in blood. Doomfist, standing like a proud father looked over everyone’s costume, giving his final approval and then opened the door.

“This vehicle will take you to the party. Your valet has your passes to the party. From there, you will do what we discussed. Have a good time, don’t mess up.”

They piled into the car, Olivia to the outside, Bria in the middle and Gabriel on the other end. Sandwiched between the two of them, she struggled to get comfortable. As the ride continued on, Olivia fell asleep. Bria fiddled with her dress, touching a few of the butterflies. Finding that to be fruitless, she sat back, placing one of her hands in her lap and the other to her side. Hers landed on top of Reapers. Just as she was about to pull away, he snatched it back, holding it firmly in place.

Her cheeks burned as deeply as his suit.

-

Shit went down. Shit went south. Shit went downhill and very south very fast.

Getting into the party was not the issue. They schmoozed with partygoers well, dancing to a few songs and participating in little events. The problem with going to a day party is that everyone gets drunk too fast. Sombra and Reaper managed to slip away and open the door, extracted the information and were almost scott free until a drunk couple burst into the office and fell on the floor. Apparently, someone slipped a few mood enhancers in the drinks, and people began dropping like flies. 

The doses were too high, and people’s hearts stopped.

Growing angry, a few of the more sober party guests began a witch hunt, looking for anyone who seemed too suspicious. Those who didn’t drink were automatically pinned in groups and interrogated. Bria somehow got caught up in the mess. Sombra and Reaper made their way to the roof, but realized too late that she wasn’t with them.

“Amethyst, we’re leaving. Where are you?”

Unable to reach her communicator, she tried as discretely to send a message, but when she went to flick her wrist, someone grabbed it, causing her light blade to flick out, going through his hand to the other side. Guests watched in horror as her white dress became stained in red. Shoving him away, Bria gathered her dress and ran, tapping her communicator as she escaped.

“Stabbed a guy on accident. Running as fast as I can in a heavy dress. I’ll be up there soo-SHIT.”

She ducked, just missing a few bullets. Turning the corner, she ducked into a room and quietly shut the door, pacing around while she thought of what to do. The dress would have to go, but she couldn’t walk around naked. Thinking quickly, she decided to cut off the tulle of her dress, removing it from where the solid material ended just below the swell of her bottom, leaving a few pieces of sheer material for modesty. Kicking off the heels, she checked to see if any evidence of who she was remained. Seeming satisfied, Bria opened the door, putting Calliope in fight mode. 

Sprinting from the room, Bria powered her way to the stairs, dodging dead and dying people on the ground. She barely missed stray bullets aimed at her head by security, leaping up the stairs as fast as she could. From her navigation, she dipped down a few hallways, sliding into walls on her way.

“Amethyst, I see you’re on the move. We have to start up the ship. Be ready to jump when you get up here.”

“Got it, Doomfist.”

Before she could open the escape door, a bullet hit her light armor, bouncing off and digging itself into a wall. She turned, looking at her would be assailant be impaled by another party guest. Giving no more time to them and thankful for whatever the hell that crazy drug was that people ingested, she swung the door open, running to the side of the building where the drop ship hovered. It began pulling away from the side since people began falling out of the building. Sirens screamed in the distance. 

They unfortunately did not calculate the distance between the building and the ship.

Not wanting to stop her momentum, Bria sped up and leapt from the edge of the building, clearing about a third of the way before she began falling. With a flick, a light rope kicked out, latching onto Reaper’s outstretched hand. She pulled herself up the rope, grabbing onto his outstretched hand and was yanked into the ship. The doors slid shut and they all ran to their seats, buckling in as best as they could as it picked up speed and zipped away.

Trying to catch her breath, Sombra was the first to laugh. First a chuckle, then a full belly laugh. She doubled over in her seat, clutching her sides while the others looked on incredulously. 

Then Bria cracked.

The others finally laughed except for Reaper, because of course he didn’t.

“Holy shit. That was crazy!”

Sombra took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. “What the hell even happened down there?”

Panting, Bria sat up, looking over her dress. “Well, someone spiked the punch too hard and people started dying. I got cornered and accidentally stabbed a guy who grabbed me. But I managed to snag a parting gift before leaving!”

Reaching in her dress, Bria pulled out a watch. A few taps to the sides revealed a personal communication device for the diplomat of Monaco. With a few clicks, a list of his accomplices were displayed for everyone. “It didn’t look like much, but I know modified tech when I see it. I sold Pelen the rights to this exact model and they developed watches for people who didn’t want to carry around phones and holo pads. You’d be surprised how well that sold.”

“Bunmi, you’re absolutely wild.”

-

Back at headquarters, the group walked off the drop ship. Disheveled, sweaty and blood stained, Olivia, Gabriel and Bria made their way to their rooms for a well earned shower. Bria sent Olivia a quick text, letting her know that she just wanted to pass out and pretend like today didn’t happen. As understanding as she was, she sent a quick confirmation back and left it at that. Walking out of her room in a bra and sweatpants, hair tied up in a t-shirt and leftovers in hand, Bria flicked through channels, trying to find anything to distract her.

A knock on the door pulled her from the endless flipping.

“Come in, door’s open.”

“Shouldn’t leave your doors unlocked, Giselle.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confessions from the heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ᕙ(✿ ͜ʖ✿)ᕗ
> 
> Yay, rating changed!
> 
> Lots of talking. Lots of graphic sex.
> 
> I used Spanish in this because in my head and what I've loved from other fics I've read is Gabriel's use of Spanish during sex and I cannot~
> 
> Bria can speak it too. Private school kid, loves to learn. Whatever, have this smut.

Bria watched Gabriel walk into her room, turning to lock her door and reaching for his mask. He was dressed a bit more casual in a black sweatshirt, matching black sweatpants and sneakers. It was a stark contrast from his normal combat ready black armor and claws galore, but welcomed. 

Pulling down his hood, he began disconnecting his mask, placing it on her kitchen table. He tied up his hair, sweeping a few strays behind his ears. She silently watched him drift pass her, giving her a once over, then opened her fridge. With a scoff, he turned to look at her from over his shoulder.

“Still haven’t gone shopping yet?”

Flabbergasted, she turned to him, plate still in hand, free hand on her hip and head cocked to the side. “No, I was too busy being shot at.”

Looking at the aloe juice in hand, he turned it a few times, shrugged and cracked the bottle open. “Alright. I’ll take you to the grocery store down the street from here tomorrow. You’ve gotta get some better stuff in here.”

Rolling her eyes, she plopped the plate down, crossing her arms over her chest and huffed. He stopped drinking, twisting the cap back on the bottle and placing it on the counter, matching her stance. “Alright, why are you here?”

“Can’t I visit an old friend?”

“Oh, so now I’m an old friend? Not a pervert? A whore?”

“Bri, you know-”

“No. I don’t know. I don’t know you anymore. The person I met months ago is not the same person that left me a decade before. I don’t know who the hell is standing in front of me at this current moment. You’re a charade of someone I once knew.”

“Someone you romanticized in your mind. Don’t act like I was once this super sweet and amazing guy. I’ve always been an asshole. I just hid it from you well.”

They stood in silence, letting the words settle over them. Had she really been that blind to think that he was the sweet protector from her memories? He’s always been a bit rough around the edges, but she’s remembered times where he would sit down and become so passionate about a crafting project, or laugh for five minutes over the dumbest things. This was the person who once bricked Jack’s phone from overloading it with memes. This was her Gabe, her Immanuel, the one person who treated her like an equal when everyone else babied her.

Maybe he was just putting on a front.

“Whatever. That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

Heaving a heavy sigh, Gabe shrugged his shoulders, stuffing his hands in his pocket, looking at the ground. “I wanted to make sure you were okay after this mission. It was your first advanced one and you nearly died a few times, that’s all.”

Bria chuckled, putting a hand on her hip and running her fingers through her hair to smooth the unruly curls down. As it dried it seemed to grow in volume. “I’m fine. Thank you for checking in on me. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to watch some shows and eat before going to sleep. I’ve got an early day in the lab.”

“You know you’re off tomorrow, right?”

“Says who?”

“I do.”

“Huh, I thought I only took orders from Akande.”

Grumbling under his breath, Gabe pushed off of the counter he was leaning on, taking a few steps forward. Bria held her ground as he closed in on her. “I can give you orders as well, you know that, right? Not everything has to be passed down from him. Besides, if you checked your phone often, you’d see I sent it and he approved it an hour ago.”

Indignantly, Bria met his stare, smirking as his frustrations grew more apparent. “Thanks. I’ll give it a look later. Now, weren’t you leaving?”

“Bria.”

_“Gabriel.”_

Blowing air out of his nose, he stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest once more. She put her hands in her pocket, smiling sweetly to him the whole time. “You know, you’re stubborn. I don’t remember you being this way before. You’ve changed.”

Scoffing, she stepped a bit closer, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve changed? Of course I did. Life doesn’t cut you any slack when you’re naive. I had to grow up. Besides, you’re a wraith who breaks into people’s homes and watches them like some pervert! If anything, you are the one who has changed.”

“I wouldn’t need to break in if you weren’t so hardheaded.”

“Why were you watching me for so long, anyway?”

He stammered, breaking their staring contest to look now at the chair. She smiled a bit to herself about the victory. “Because, it’s always a good idea to learn a person’s schedules and-”

“Bullshit, Gabriel. Give me the real reason. Why were you watching me?”

“I… well… I”

“Spit. It. Out.”

“I fucking _missed you_ , Bria. Damn, you happy now?”

Stunned, she took a step back, looking at him incredulously. Though his skin may not be as forgiving as before, she noted the rosy tint growing on his cheeks. Blinking a few times, Bria placed a hand on her chest, trying to control her fluttering heart. “You… missed me?”

“Look. I’ve only seen you from afar over the past ten years. I’ve seen you bust your ass studying away. I’ve seen the trips you’ve taken and the way you’ve handled a tough situation. I brought you food, drinks, blankets, flowers, the works. That was the extent that I allowed myself to go to. The life I’m living now as Reaper doesn’t give me the freedom of having personal relationships without the risk of losing everything. I wanted so badly to be close to you again and to let you know I was still around, but I couldn't. Taking on bringing you in was the first time I actually spent time with you up close.

Instead of the girl who always dove into books and busied herself with crafts, I saw a woman who handled her day to day in ways that I could only wish for. The respect your old coworkers had for you was amazing. They didn’t see a shy and timid girl that I knew, they saw a fierce and brave and fiery woman who took charge, helped out others and handled her own. The thing that broke me was how lonely you looked at home.

I saw the way you looked at the pictures around the house. I’ve heard your conversations with your AI and how you’d ignore phone calls from your mother. When you got letters from your friends, you would light up for a few minutes, then cry for hours in your bed. What hurt me the most is hearing you talk to me.

I always thought the crush you had on me was just fleeting. Before you even say it, yes, I knew. Damn well everyone did. I just had respect for you and your age to think that it would fade away and maybe you’d move on with your life. I thought by now you would have been married and had a kid on the way, but you still held on to that, and it scared me.

I missed our old talks. I missed the parties and times we would spend with everyone else, but most importantly, I missed you. My feelings for you have always so confusing. I didn’t want to reciprocate it because compared to me then and even now, you’re a child. I don’t mean that in the sense that you’re a literal child, but… Bria. What would everyone think? It wouldn’t have been right. You deserved to have someone who would be able to give love and receive it freely.”

Catching his breath, Gabriel grabbed his drink and held it in his hands, crinkling the packaging. Bria placed her hands on the table, trying to ground herself. Her brain hurt trying to let everything process. It’s as if her world was a roller coaster and someone ripped a few tracks out. Before she could hit the ground, she had to catch herself before losing it completely. Sensing the tension, he started for the door, but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

“Why is it that everyone else gets to dictate my own happiness? Why can’t I have a say in what I want my life to become? I’ve lived my whole life according to others rules and regulations for how I am supposed to be. When will it be my turn? Who cares about how other's feel? If what you say is true, and you have feelings similar to my own, then why can’t we give it a shot? If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. It’s not like we can’t be friends after everything is said and done, right?”

“Giselle, we can’t. People will think I’m abusing my power over you.”

“So the hell what? I want to be with you. I want to be around you, Immanuel! To hell with what everyone else says!”

He sighed, grabbing hold of her shoulders, caressing the soft skin. She took his hand and placed her head in his palm. Closing her eyes, she closed her own hands over his. He stroked her cheek, drifting his thumb to her lips, then pulled away.

“I’m different than the man you once knew.”

“Then give me the chance to get to know you again, Gabriel. Please.”

He stepped away from her, grabbing his mask and hood. She watched him and choked back a sob. He turned to see her lip quiver, looked to her burning cheeks and her glossy eyes welling with tears. “I’m just asking for one chance, and you can’t even give me that?”

He fought hard with himself about this. She's different now. She's not the same girl from before. Neither was he. Whatever life's consequences came from this, they would deal with this together.

Throwing his mask and hood to the ground, he rushed to her, cupping her face in his hands, bringing their lips together. They were still for a moment, then he groaned when she wrapped her arms around his waist, drawing him close. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and he wiped them away, looking into those bright eyes he’s loved for a long time. She choked out a laugh, stroking his cheek with her hand before pulling him back in for another kiss. He parted his lips, smiling then groaning when she bit his lip, sucking on the swollen skin. 

Pulling his face away from hers, he caught his breath as he spoke. “You’re heading down a dangerous path.”

She smiled, flicking her tongue against his lips, eyes heavy with lust. “I wouldn’t want to go down it with anyone else but you.”

He groaned and leaned down, grabbing her legs and hoisted her into the air. She wrapped her legs around his waist, hooking her feet together behind him, anchoring herself against his hips. Their lips met once more, his tongue parting past her lips and caressed her tongue. She moaned, digging her nails into his back, receiving an equally heated moan back. Gabriel leaned her against the top of her sofa, grinding his hips into her own, earning a whine and bucking heat from her in return.

Tearing away from the kiss once more, Gabriel turned to her neck, placing messy kisses along the skin, grazing it with his teeth before biting down gently. Bria tossed her head back, digging her feet into his back and pushing him further against her body. She felt him swelling in between her legs and she smiled, grinding against his growing need. If the drop ship incident was any indication, he was cocky for a reason. He groaned, gripping her hips and held her steady as they ground their hips together in urgency.

Bria reached behind herself for her bra, unclasping it and let it fall to the couch. Gabriel took this opportunity to reach for both breasts, flicking her nipples between his index and thumb, squeezing lightly to see where her sensitivity levels were. Each flick earned a gasp, while the squeeze earned a moan. He pushed her back, supporting her weight in one hand while his mouth and other hand worked on her chest, flicking each sensitive nipple against his tongue before sucking on them. Her grinding increased, whines and moans growing louder as he ministered attention to the swollen buds. Her grip on his sweatshirt grew tighter, hips bucking wildly as she tossed her head back, biting her lip to try and contain her voice.

“Gabe, please! I can’t take it! I think… I think I’m about to-”

_“Piérdete por mí, mi amor. Muéstrame cómo te hago sentir.”_

Her mind blanked and she shoved her arm to her mouth and bit down as she reached her climax, mindlessly bucking against his hips as she wailed in his hold, tears of over stimulation flowing down her cheeks. He smiled down at her, stroking her cheeks and praising her as she came down. He placed gentle kisses on each nipple, then kissed her lovingly.

“You did so good for me. I didn’t know you were that sensitive.”

“Well, I’ve never done this with anyone else before, so I wouldn’t exactly know where my sensitivities lie.”

“You-oh. _Oh._ Well, I’ll try to be more gentle with you.”

Grabbing his collar, Bria pulled herself closer to him, one arm slung around his neck, the other holding his cheek. “No. Keep the pace you’ve been setting so far. I’ll let you know when it’s too much.”

With a wicked smile, Gabriel kissed her roughly, sliding his hand down to her neck and gently squeezed. She whimpered, pulling away and biting her lip. “You got it.”

Picking her up once more, he turned them to her bedroom, his hands squeezing her ass while she kissed and licked at his neck. Her hand reached up to his hair, pulling his hair tie away and gently tugged at his curls. The way he squeezed let her know to continue, so she did, grabbing a fist full, pulling his head back and crashing their lips together. He slammed her door shut, pushing her up against it. He held her clothed legs open, grinding roughly against her, the warmth of her body swallowing him up.

Reaching between them, Bria’s hands slipped under his waistband to find that his sweats were the only restrictive clothing he had on. Before she could grip his shaft, he pulled her hand away, turning them to her bed and unceremoniously tossing her on it. He soon joined her, caging her arms above her head. Their eyes met and she gave out a whine. 

“Not yet. Let me explore what you’ve been saving just for me.”

She shivered as his cool skin caressed her bare stomach. He stroked her hips, smiling where her skin jumped to his touch. Pushing her closer to the pillows, she took the hint to rest against them, watching while his hands gripped the band of her sweats and rolled them down. He sucked in a breath, licking his lips as he took in the mess she made just from his lips and tongue.

Pushing the clothes aside, he pulled her legs apart, anchoring his hands on her thighs. He looked up for confirmation, and she nodded. Satisfied, he leaned his head closer, admiring the slick that drenched her lips. Taking a finger, he swiped a bit of her slick on his finger, making a show of him sucking the digit slowly, letting out a groan of satisfaction. Her breath picked up when his fingers returned once more, sliding her lips apart, her swollen clit aching in the cool air. His index finger brushed against the nub and she bucked. A few more flicks and her stomach muscles tensed. He placed a steady hand on her stomach, stroking it while his thumb joined his index in their exploration.

Gabriel tweaked and stroked the swollen nub, then leaned his head down, tongue darting to it. Her back arched off the bed, but he pressed her back down, his fingers held her lips apart while his mouth worked her. Bria’s eyes rolled back, sinking her body further on the bed when he hooked his arms under her thighs, pulling her closer to him. When he got her to the position he wanted, he slipped a finger over her opening, moving from stroking her clit while his tongue worked it to the opening, testing her. When she didn’t pull away, he slid a finger in, quickly finding her bundle of nerves she knew well. 

Her eyes shot open, crying out when his finger joined in his oral stimulation. She panted, trying to ground herself by grabbing the sheets. When that didn’t seem to satisfy her, she slid her hands to his hair, running her nails along his scalp, gripping his hair when he hit the spot a bit harder. He groaned, slipping another finger in as carefully as he could to join in. When he hooked his fingers in a ‘come here’ motion, she melted. Eyes squeezed tightly together, legs shivering and hips bucking into his mouth, her second orgasm caught her completely off guard, sending her soul from her body to outer space.

As she shook, he pulled his mouth away, pupils blown wide and admiring the way her face twisted in pleasure while his fingers stroked her. He slowed when she came down, pulling his fingers out of her and to his mouth, sucking each soaked digit. She panted, watching him through heavy lidded eyes, mesmerized by the way his mouth worked his fingers. She noticed the way his pants tented, curiosity taking over her exhaustion. He noticed her eyes, then smiled, palming himself over his sweats.

“You sure you’re up for this? I figured you’d be tired out by now.”

“No, I want all of you.”

His dick jumped at that and he groaned. “You’re going to kill me.”

She smiled, but that soon dropped to awe when he pulled himself from his sweats, sliding out of them and kicking them off the bed. Sitting on his knees, he stroked himself, watching her eyes, then her bottom lip in between her teeth. “Touch yourself for me.”

Not one to make him wait, Bria was quick to action, grabbing her breast in one hand and stroking her sensitive clit with the other. Each touch made her gasp, but she pushed through, sliding slippery fingers in between her lips. She ground her feet into her bed, spreading her legs further apart. Parting her lips with her fingers, her messy entrance and swollen clit were on full display. In return, he stroked his dick harder, groaning at the sight. Satisfied with his reaction, she pulled on one of her nipples while sliding her fingers inside, spreading her fingers each time she left her slicked entrance. 

Gabriel, not being the patient man that he was, crawled to her, pulling her fingers out of her and shoving them in his mouth, licking and sucking on them while he lined himself up with her. The warmth alone was mind blowing, rolling his eyes back while he slid his tip from her clit to her entrance, teasing himself between her lips. She moaned, watching him intently. He positioned himself, looking at her once more. She nodded, locking her eyes with his as he slowly slid in.

Gently, at first, he applied a bit more pressure as he entered, his hand caressing her cheek and flicking her clit with his thumb. When she seemed more receptive, he pushed more, rubbing her clit faster. She panted, trying to catch her breath from the entry. Bria was never one to really explore with toys, finding the idea a bit daunting. Her fingers normally did the job for her, but this was a new experience with the person she’s loved for so long.

When he bottomed out, Gabriel leaned down, kissing her forehead. “You’re taking me so well. Look at how your body took me in! Es casi como si estuviera hecho para ajustarte tan perfectamente. I’m going to start moving now, okay? Let me know when this is too much.”

Gabriel started off slow, stroking her hips every time they connected together. Bria flinched, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the pillows, willing her body to adjust to the new sensations. When his pace picked up a bit, her walls fluttered around him. Her gaze went from pained to lust filled, her mouth hanging open, chanting praises and incoherent words. Hooking her legs over his arms, he lifted her hips off of the bed, hitting her with a new toe curling position. She grabbed his arms, holding on as he all but slammed into her now, her cries growing louder each time their hips snapped together.

Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. Skin slapping on skin, Bria sat up, pushing Gabe off of her and out completely. Panting, he watched her at first with worry, then with need as he was pushed to his back and mounted. Positioning his hands on her hips, she angled him against her and watched his eyes roll back as she slid down. Giving him no chance to adjust, the way he angled into her g spot made her see stars. Grabbing his sweats, she slammed down on him, biting down on the pant leg to muffle her cries. Gabe was having none of it, snatching the material from her mouth and wrapping his hand around her neck, giving a gentle squeeze. Her eyes shot open, mouth agape with a messy smile which drove her to drill onto him with more tenacity, which he loved. 

_“Mierda, mujer. Me estás montando como si tu vida dependiera de ello!”_

_“Lo hace, mi amor. Déjame mostrarte cuánto necesito que me llenes!”_

Gabriel _roared_ , pushing his feet to the bed, pistoning into her with a fervent need. He tried to hold back, tried to take his time with her, but with the way her hips bucked back, her eyes hazed over with lust and the way she gripped him pushed him past caring. Flipping her to her back once more, he moved her legs to his shoulders, planting both arms on both sides and slammed into her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning and crying in his arms as her third orgasm rocked her whole body. He soon followed, grinding into her as he spilled himself into her. The force made them both shudder with delight. For once, his cool body seemed warm to the touch.

They stilled, panting and kissing each other wherever they could. Slowly, Gabe pulled out, gently placing her legs on the bed as she continued to try and catch her breath. He went to her bathroom to clean up, bringing out a washcloth and a bottle of water. Passing it to her, she gladly took it, taking heavy gulps, calming her heart. Gabriel pulled her into his arms, stroking her arm and thigh while kissing her forehead. She smiled, curling into his hold.

“So, was that everything you dreamed about?”

Laughing, Bria slapped his chest, turning his head to her own. “Better than I could have ever imagined.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, lemme just go ahead and add these translations for the poor translated Spanish I used in this.
> 
> Piérdete por mí, mi amor. Muéstrame cómo te hago sentir. : Lose yourself for me, my love. Show me how I make you feel.
> 
> Es casi como si estuviera hecho para ajustarte tan perfectamente. : It's almost as if I was made to fit you so perfectly.
> 
> Mierda, mujer. Me estás montando como si tu vida dependiera de ello. : Shit, woman. You're riding me like your life depends on it.
> 
> Lo hace, mi amor. Déjame mostrarte cuánto necesito que me llenes. : It does, my love. Let me show you how badly I need you to fill me.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pink or Blue?

With the morning rays of light spilling into the room, Gabriel and Bria curled up against one another in her bed the next day.. The chirps and buzzing from a cellphone woke her up first, blinking away sleep, then movement made her shoot straight up from where she lay, following the arm that was wrapped securely around her waist to the snoring man next to her. Memories from the amazing night rushed in soon after, making her blush fiercely. Bria thought it was some sort of lucky dream that caused the ache in between her legs and hips to be prominent in her dreams.

Carefully, she tried to move the arm, but Gabriel’s hand latched on. No luck. Bria then leaned over, trying to grab for the phone on her side table, fingers just missing it before it finally moved within reach. Scrolling through her notifications, she saw a missed call from Olivia and the group chat exploding with conversation. They were mostly check ins and reports of complaints from the other agents about work related things and time requests that didn’t get approved. Then a picture of an agent holding a cat while the rest of their room got raided. Apparently someone thought they could sneak it in and get away with it.

The phone buzzed again and she answered as quietly as possible. “Hey, Vi. Sorry I missed your call, I slept in today.”

She chuckled on the other end, crinkling some paper on her side of the call. “I don’t blame you. 8:00 is pretty late compared to when you normally wake, huh?”

Smiling, Bria ran a hand through Gabriel’s hair, running it down to his cheeks when he finally opened his eyes and kissed her wrist. “Yeah, I guess all the traveling kicked in. What’s up, though?”

“Well… I know you haven’t gone outside of the base for fun, so I wanted to take you out to shop for food and stuff. What do you think?”

Before she could answer, Gabriel grabbed the phone from her hand, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. “She’s busy today.”

With that, he hung up.

Bria, absolutely horrified, tried to snatch it back, but he was too fast. Chucking it off the bed onto the pile of clothes and old sheets at the side of the bed, Gabriel snaked his arms back around her, pulling her in his arms as he laid down. She tried and failed to push away, resorting to covering her face in her hands.

“What did you do that for?! Now she’s going to know you stayed over!”

Kissing her forehead, he pulled her face out of her hands, cradling her chin. “So what? It’s not like she wouldn’t find out sooner or later. It’s better if you are up front with her instead of hiding things. She’ll use it against you if she thinks it’s a heavy enough bargaining chip.”

Groaning, she turned her back to him, pulling the sheets over her head. Gabriel kissed her back, stroking her arms to try and comfort her, but the grind of his hips against her let his intentions known. Bria turned her head towards him, quirking her brows in disbelief. He smiled, taking the opportunity to leave heated kisses on her cheeks and nose. 

“Besides, I’m not done with you just yet.”

-

Coffee cup in hand, Bria walked around her living room, picking up her wallet and other items needed for her day trip. Keeping his promise with contingencies, Gabriel was taking her to go grocery shopping and to grab a few other things from the stores. The beauty of having stores so close to a Talon headquarters was that all of the employees were also contracted through the organization. Identities could be held secret, allowing agents to shop freely without running the risk of being caught by the authorities. Even though he really didn’t need it, Gabriel still opted to wear his mask, wanting his true identity to still be a secret. 

Bria didn’t mind, because no one really remembered who she was. Still, to err on the side of caution, she decided to put on sunglasses. Besides, they were stylish Ray Bans she’s been dying to sport out, and a beach trip didn’t seem to be in her cards anytime soon. Gabriel managed to slip back to his room a few hours after they woke up to shower and get dressed, returning in time to share a cup of coffee.

They stood in her kitchen, Bria caged while she sat on her counter while Gabriel kissed and sucked on her neck, their drinks growing cold. She pushed his mask up further, stroking his cheeks while he left a mark low enough to cover with her uniform shirt. Regular clothes would be tricky to hide it, but he wanted it that way.

If people knew she was spoken for, maybe they would stay away.

His hands drifted under her shirt, groping at her breasts. She leaned her head against the cabinets while he lavished wet kisses to her collar bone, trailing lower over the fabric. He nearly made it to his intended destination when her door opened. Eyes shot open in horror, looking at her new guest who stopped short, looked at the scene, then slammed the door shut, hand on her hip and smirk plastered on her face.

“Well, shit.”

Pushing him off, Bria jumped to her feet, pulling her shirt down from its bunched up position while Gabriel pushed his mask back on, grabbing his coffee. He leaned against where she was standing, arms crossing over the other. 

“This is why I told you to lock your door.”

She shot him a look and he chuckled. Trying to calm her racing heart, Bria walked to the rolling island, propping her elbows on it, cradling her head in her hands. “So, what brings you here?”

Laughing, Olivia walked to her table, sliding a chair back and plopped down, throwing her keys and wallet on the surface next to her seat. “I was going to try and pry you away for shopping since I thought you were in training with Commander Grumpy Pants, but I guess the training was different.”

“If I could die right here and now…”

Clearing his throat, Gabriel pushed himself away from the counter, patting her back then took an empty seat at the table as well. “I thought I told you she was busy.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t know she was busy being railed.”

“Oh my God.”

“Save it for the bedroom, Bria.”

She groaned, covering her head with her arms, head pressed to the counter while her guests laughed at her pain. Olivia grabbed her phone, checking the time as she caught her breath. “Look, we can stay here all day and discuss what the hell the two of you did last night, but I want to get all of this shopping done before it gets late. I’m going out later with a few other agents to the club and pregame starts at 5.”

Gabriel turned to her, attempting to take a sip of the coffee but forgot his mask was on, clanking the cup against it. He stilled, then sighed, putting it back down on the table while Olivia choked on laughter. “Good for you, but we’ve already planned out our day.”

Wiping her tears away, she sat back up, sighing heavily. “That’s nice and all, but I should probably join you. This way it looks like she’s being escorted to make sure she doesn’t run off. Besides, if you two leave together, it’ll rouse suspicion.”

Prying her head away from her makeshift hiding spot, Bria nodded, grabbing both of their coffees and poured them down the drain. “She’s right. We would look better in a group instead of just us.”

Grumbling, Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. “Fine, let’s just get this over with. The less time I have to spend with you, the better.”

Olivia smiled, grabbing her things while she stood. “Same here. Besides, I’m sure you two want to get back to whatever the hell you were doing on the counter just a few minutes ago, so I won’t hold you for long.”

“Ugh, Vi!”

-

If he could never step foot in another store again, Gabriel would die a happy man. First, they stopped by the furniture and home decor section to pick up a few items, deciding between throw pillows, blankets, small arts and bedding sets. Any time he was asked his opinion on an item, they were met with a blank mask. Other shoppers walked by, confused by the scene of the normally menacing Reaper being asked about his opinion on what shade of pink a curtain should be, but when he turned his head towards them, they disappeared.

Grocery shopping wasn’t any easier. Bria walked the cart while Olivia and Gabriel threw in seasonings, meats, sides, vegetables, snacks and the works. At one point, the two of them argued over who could make ribs better. Not wanting to get into it, she walked away with the cart to the breakfast section, trying to choose cereals. With a fully loaded cart, Bria and Gabriel walked to the checkout lanes, Olivia trailing behind them with a few bottles of tequila and mixers. Before Bria could even pull out her wallet, Gabriel swiped his card, not even flinching at the total.

Finally, they stopped by a pizza shop, grabbing a few pizzas and sides before heading back to base. It took a few trips, but their loaner vehicle was unloaded. Walking into her room with bags in hand, Bria stopped by her kitchen table, looking at the two bottles and a note left by it from Olivia before she left. Smiling, she shook her head, plopping the bags down and sorted out what needed to go where. Gabriel walked in a few minutes later, gym bag in hand. He slid the door shut, making a point to lock it before he took his mask and hood off. He threw his hair up in a high bun then took his sweater off, sliding it on a chair and reading the note.

“‘Have fun, you two!’ Huh, that’s why she bought so many.”

Turning to look at him, she smiled, noting his more casual look and his bag by the door. “Yeah, I guess that’s her way of thanking us.” 

Standing on her tiptoes, she tried to edge a few cans into the upper counters, but was interrupted by a large hand circling her own, sliding it further in. “Unconventional, but appreciated.”

Making quick work of the groceries, the two worked in synch with each other, placing things away and passing items when they were headed to their destinations. Finally, the two sat in the living room with the couch pushed back, giving them room to build a stand Bria wanted to put by the entryway. Their conversations were lighthearted, halfway paying attention to the shows on the television, but more interested in catching up with each other. Bria talked about her college stories of her old roommates, work study program and weird students. Gabriel didn’t talk too much. He mentioned a few things, but made it a point to turn the conversation back to her. The less she knew about him, the better.

With the stand finished and placed, they dug into the pizza and wings, cups full of tequila and soda. Gabriel chose a comedy special to watch, making it a point to look over every time a funny zinger chimed in to watch how Bria’s face would light up. She caught him staring, pulling his face closer to hers, kissing him quickly and gently, fluttering her eyes when he deepened it. He pulled her to his lap, stroking her thighs. Running her hands down his chest, she stopped when they ran over a necklace he kept hidden. 

He stilled, watching her face go from curious to surprised. She twisted the old ruby pendant in her hands, stroking over the well worn stone with shaky fingers. They stopped short of the pearl that hung below it, eyes stinging with tears that threatened to fall. 

“You kept it.”

“I did. It was one of the only things I kept from my old life.”

It was International Friendship day. Bria saved up enough to Lena, Jack and Gabriel a gift, making sure to personalize it to their likes. That day, Jack was hosting a barbecue and invited a few friends over. When she arrived, Bria handed Jack a box with a sapphire encrusted watch, matching the sparkle of his eyes. He nearly teared up, trying to give it back but she wasn’t having it. Lena got her gold bracelet in the car since she drove Bria over. The two of them cooed over their friend, gifting her with two charms and a bracelet. Gabriel arrived later, trying to stay in the back. He was in the height of his testing and he didn’t want to show up, but a few gentle threats brought him out of his brooding cave.

As the sun set, people began leaving, saying their thanks to Jack and hugging those who gave them presents. Bria twisted her comfort strand, looking around for Gabriel. She walked to the connecting multi season’s room, holding her gift box in hand and sighed. Just as she thought he wouldn’t show, a strong hand grabbed her shoulder. Her eyes lit up when she saw him and she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight.

Bria pulled back, noting his tired features, but was quickly soothed by him excusing it away stating stress. Shoving the box in his hands, she watched as he opened it, clutched it a bit tighter, then hugged her. The day completely flew by him, absolutely forgetting the reason why the barbecue was happening in the first place. Thinking quickly, he removed his dog tags, handing it to her. He thought she would hate it, but the way she rubbed her fingers over the letters and the tears that fell from her eyes let him know otherwise.

Bria let it go, sliding her hands to his sides. “I thought you would have hated that necklace. You never really took me for a flashy person.”

He smiled, tucking the necklace back under his shirt. “You’re not wrong. I don’t really like things that cost more than my clothes, but the person who gave it to me meant the world to me. You could have given me a macaroni picture and I would have cherished it.”

“Not a macaroni picture!”

“One with glitter and stickers. Only the cheesiest picture from my favorite ercilia.”

She laughed while holding her sides, leaning her head against his chest. He rubbed her back, kissing the top of her head. Moving her hands back to his sides, she rubbed his back, sliding her head from his chest to the crook of his neck, drawing circles on his chest with her fingers, playing with the wisps of smoke that came off of his body.

“So, Gabe? When did you become… a smoke person?”

He chuckled, pulling her close. “A wraith? Probably about a few weeks before the explosion. I had Moira working on a cure for me. You know I was part of the SEP program when I was in the military, but it began fucking with my body. I noticed weird changes happening with me, and she was interested in trying to help. I tried going to Angela for help, but she kept telling me to sleep and take more multivitamins. Honestly, I think she was just scared. Moira was more than willing to help, but it was for selfish reasons. She needed a guinea pig, so here I was. As the testing progressed, I got worse too quickly. I couldn’t sleep, became more irritable, messed up on drills, missions…”

“Did… did anyone else know?”

“Jack and Ana. She didn’t know the extent of it, but he walked into my office one time while I was crouched on the ground with smoke pouring out of my eyes. It was a mess. They tried to keep it under wraps, but with everything happening after the assassination, the best thing they could do was to get rid of Moira and lock me in my office close by. I wanted to tell you so badly, but they warned me against it. They didn’t think you could handle it. Instead, you had to deal with the grump I was until well, I disappeared.”

She squeezed him tighter, kissing his neck. He ran his fingers through her hair, rocking her side to side. “I would have tried to help somehow.”

“You just being there for me unconditionally was more than enough.”

Gabriel pulled her face to his, kissing her softly. Bria caressed his cheek, moving her lips from his to his forehead. He held her tighter, resting his head on her chest, breathing in her body wash and lotion deeply. She smiled, kissing his hair and rubbing his shoulders. She hoped that he would always talk to her. Hoped that he would be open to trust her. Maybe then his icy heart would melt.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honeymoon phase is over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a pleasant holiday season. With the new year comes new chapters! I'll go ahead and comment here that this chapter talks a bit about light gore, so just be warned that it's there.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Months passed since Gabriel and Bria began their relationship. At first, the transition was rough. Bria tried her best to pretend the hulking mass of a wraith standing at her desk was nothing, but when he would caress her chin as he left made work messy. Her co workers stayed further and further away from her, trying not to incur the wrath of Reaper by speaking with her. Any time she would try to talk to them, they turned and walked away. The brave would try, but after he materialized behind her during one lengthy discussion, they never spoke to her again. 

He never said much, but when she would come back to her room, tossing her clothes around, stomping to and fro and muttering the words ‘bullshit coworkers’ and ‘coward asses’, he quickly realized that his presence around her wasn’t helping. Soon, she found herself in a new private lab, working with two other people who were dating other Talon higher ups. They nodded to her, then went back to what they were working on. Smiling to herself, she began tinkering with a piece of machinery, stopping when the gentle caress of wispy smoke pulled her out of her reverie.

After a particularly rough mission, Reaper stalked to his room from the hangar, dried blood on his talons, splattering itself in a pattern across his chest and mask. Other agents hugged the walls, steering clear of the smoking giant that walked past. Bria was with another agent discussing the changes needed in order to get new plans for a scope done when she nearly collided with him. The other agent stepped back, clutching their papers while the two of them had a stare down. Finally, he grunted, patting her shoulder and walked away. She watched him leave, then shrugged, dusting off her shoulder.

People began holding her in higher regard, which helped ease any worries they’ve had for her before.

Bria went on more missions without Gabriel, returning with trinkets and tales of how one agent messed up or how well another did. Mission debriefings were held in Doomfist’s office with little to no fanfare, but after one particularly noisy meeting, the two of them stumbled from his office, cheeks pinked and breathless from laughing so much. Reaper stood outside, arms crossed and frowning under his mask. He couldn’t really hear what they were talking about, but the way they came out of his office and the way Akande’s hand caressed her shoulder rubbed him the wrong way.

Perking up, Bria walked to him, but stopped when she noticed the amount of smoke that poured off of him. He was pissed. Akande walked to her side, looking from the two of them to then focus his stare on Bria. “Good work on this mission. You’re on your way to maybe leading one by yourself soon. Keep it up.” With that, he walked back into his office, shutting the door quietly.

The two of them stood in the hallway, buzzing from the lights overhead and footsteps down the hall were the only things heard. Finally, he kicked off the wall, turning to walk away. After a few steps, he stopped, turning his head to look over his shoulder. “Well, am I walking by myself?” Rolling her eyes, Bria started after him, keeping her distance until he stopped once more, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and continued on. She tried to hold her head high, but her gaze focused on the floor, cheeks burning bright. When they first started dating, they agreed to keep things professional in front of others, but with a combination of his pop ups at work and them taking lunches together, that seemed to change their minds. 

Plus another agent caught them making out in a side hallway, but that’s neither here nor there.

-

Tensions at the base began raising after a medic left three agents tied up in a room after a mission gone wrong. After doing some searching, Jean-Baptiste Augustin was placed on their watch list. His file was closed soon after, but any sightings were closely tracked. When the three agents returned, they were interrogated by Doomfist, Amethyst and Sombra taking notes and analyzing the location of where the failed mission took place. A couple of places of interest were pinged on a map and Amethyst sent what she collected to his email to look over later. It was concluded that before they even landed, he seemed uneasy, distressed with what they were doing and expressed disdain for taking much needed supplies from people who obviously needed it.

When things went south, the four of them retreated to an abandoned shack, trying to look over what they had when they all were knocked out by his gun. When they woke up, their guns were broken, communicators smashed and emergency beakers taped to their chests. He was nowhere to be found. After the final interrogation was finished, Sombra escorted the agent out of the room, leaving Doomfist and Amethyst in the room to go over details to make sure they had everything correct.

“I can’t say that I’m surprised that he did this. His file is littered with complaints and warnings from his team lead about his attitude towards a few of the agents.” Scoffing, Doomfist stood behind her, leaning forward to read the words on the screen. Demerits and other write ups littered his file. When he was first recruited, he back talked his drill sergeant any chance he could. His test scores were immaculate, but his personality clashed with anything related to active footwork. They decided against all odds to put him in the medical field, but even then it was shaky.

“You’re right, but I figured he wouldn’t be so hard headed knowing he was close to being kicked out. Guess my talks with him didn’t stick.” Removing her visor, Bria turned to look at him, noting the smirk on his lips.

“You beat the shit out of him, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did, Bunmi. He wasn’t going to listen to reason.”

She shook her head, turning back to her screen to look over more details when Gabriel walked in, stopping short at the sight of Akande leaning entirely too close to Bria. She smiled at him, then waved him in, pointing to the newly empty seat. Akande watched his movements, holding his hand out to Bria. She absently placed the holo screen in his hands, typing away at her screen. “I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t realize this was running so late. We should be finished soon.”

He grunted, sinking lower in the seat, arms crossed over his chest. Akande sat on the desk, turning his back to him. He continued reading over the screen, moving it up every few seconds. “Have you ever had any run-ins with the medic that left? Baptiste?”

Gripping the arms of his seat, Gabriel sat up, adjusting his legs to get more comfortable. “That asshole? Yeah, I nearly left him in Osaka after he tried to swing at me because I called him a shit medic for not bandaging my arm right.”

“Hey!”

“It’s the truth. The guy’s an ace when things are tough, but he doesn’t know how to wrap gauze to save his life. I had another agent nearly bleed out because he was shaking so badly. He acted like he never saw intestines before.”

Akande and Bria looked at each other, then to Gabriel. Then, he spoke up. “Most people haven’t. Have you seen intestines, Bunmi?”

Visibly bristling at the flash of memories that flooded in, Bria pushed the holo screen back, rubbing her temples. “A few times, actually. I helped out with search and recovery back when the old Overwatch building exploded and saw a few people who got cut in half by debris. After that, it was when I volunteered at a hospital. A trauma victim was carted by in front of me with their whole insides in their hands. A couple of people vomited, but I just looked away.”

“Well then. Maybe if this tech thing doesn’t work out, we could always put you in with the medics. I’m sure you’ll shine there.” Akande placed a hand on her shoulder and she laughed, batting it away.

“Oh, no thank you. Just because I can handle it doesn’t mean I actively want to be around it.”

Adding the finishing touches to her document, Bria passed the holo screen over to Akande for his approval before sending it to himself. She stood up, shaking the screens close while grabbing her things when their phones pinged.

“Sombra: Someone’s trying to hack into Talon’s systems. This is the third DDoS attack from this one person. Emergency meeting in 5 minutes in the main conference room requested.”

Without speaking, the three of them walked out of the room, heading over to the conference room. As they waited, Gabriel pulled Bria’s chair close, leaning to her ear. “Guess we aren’t having those enchiladas tonight.”

She frowned, turning to his ear. “Damn, they smelled so good too.”

They were soon joined by Moira and Sombra who looked absolutely frazzled. The scientist took a seat next to Akande, pulling out a pen and paper. Shaking her wrist, Bria woke up her systems, tapping over to her notes app and readied to take down notes as well. Sombra tapped the large screen behind her once, bringing it to life, showing a map of locations of IP addresses across a map of the world.

“Someone’s been trying and failing to get into our systems. I thought the first one was from an agent here trying to hide their porn searches, but when it happened again, I stopped them. The third one was brief. Just know that nothing of importance has been lost, but we should be prepared for when this happens again.”

While the others looked over the location, Bria typed in the information that was given, but then stopped when her visor popped back up with an alert from Calliope. The back of her visor was blanked out from the outside, but from the inside the address she typed in along with a few others that matched similar locations showed up. She scrolled down, then saw the note on the bottom. ‘These same addresses match the ones that attempted to attack my systems once before, Miss Bria. Should I send this information to the others?’

Typing out a simple no, the information was stored in a file, then the screen was cleared. ‘Understood. I will keep this data just in case you want to investigate further.’ Her visor faded, but her concerned expression did not. 

Meanwhile, Akande scratched his head, looking at the screen, then to Sombra. “Should we be concerned that they managed to leak something in from there, or is it something that you can handle?”

“I got it, but with that medic guy going AWOL, I thought it should be brought up that maybe he’s selling information to enemies in order to get a payday.”

Moira placed her pen on her notepad, cocking an eyebrow and narrowing her eyes at Sombra. “I thought these systems were flawless, Sombra? Wasn’t it you who assured me in a conversation we had a few days ago that I had nothing to worry about concerning my research, or was that a lie?”

“No, you don’t have anything to worry about. I just think we should be on alert for a possible attack coming now that the coward is gone.”

Clearing his throat, Gabriel placed his head in his hand, drumming his fingers on the table. “I doubt he would do that, but you have a point. Akande, send out a message to security. Tell them to increase the security to mid level. If we find out anything else, we can go from there and tighten the patrolls.”

He nodded, then pulled out his phone “Sounds good. If that will be all, this meeting is over. I’m hungry.”

“Same here. I was in the middle of a bowl of Captain Crunch before you all called me away for this.”

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to Moira, watching her grab her pen and notepad. Standing fully, she gave them all a returned stare, then pushed passed them. 

“What? It’s delicious.”

-

In the following months, missions were failing one after another. Agents found themselves being shot at before they could infiltrate a building, comms messed up when they were on the ground or a few just going missing. Finally, Akande called a stop to them until the reason for them going awry so often was brought to the table. Bria stopped working on her projects to assist Sombra with the search, logging each time an address was flagged in her own system. Finally, the two of them came across security footage from one of the buildings a team was caught in. 

Lights flickered in and out as they walked in, clearing rooms as they passed. Then, a figure with bright white hair and a 76 plastered on his back walked behind them, following them into a room they were clearing. The flashes of gunfire were seen, then it went dark. Carrying out one of the agents, he threw them on the ground, tying them up. When he turned to walk away, his visor gleaming in the flickering hallway light. Flipping the security camera the bird, he pointed his gun to it and shot it, ending the stream.

The two of them pulled back. Bria rewinding it and then pausing to look at the person on the screen, absolutely confused. “Who was that?”

Olivia chuckled, pulling up another screen for her to look at. “He goes by the codename Soldier 76. He’s some vigilante who’s got a hard on for righting the wrongs of the world, or something like that. All I know is he’s a pain in our asses. Talon’s been trying to bring him in for the longest time. Any time Gabe runs into him, he always comes back super pissed and smoky. Amelie’s never been able to get a shot off on him, either.”

“Wait, so Gabe knows about him?”

“Yeah. He’s never told you any of this?”

“Of course not, we don’t always talk about work when we are together. Also, before you can say anything, it’s not because we’re busy humping like rabbits or whatever you’re gonna imply.”

Olivia laughed, closing the screen. “I was going to say smoking his sausage, but go off.”

“Vi!”

Gathering her stuff, Olivia stood up from her chair, stretching. Bria did the same, closing out her screens and slung her bag over her shoulder. “If I were you, I’d ask grumpy gills about it.”

Parting ways, Bria made her way back to her room, questions running rampant in her head. Who was this man? How long has he been a problem for Talon? Why hasn’t anyone said anything to her about it? She finally reached Gabriel’s room, keying in his code and opened his door. His bedroom door was open, steam from his shower seeped out to the living room. A pan simmered on his stove, and a classic rock station played on his television.

Taking off her shoes, she put her bag down, unhooking her bra and tossing it to his hamper before she plopped on the couch, pulling her phone up. She didn’t notice Gabriel walk out of his room, but nearly jumped when she finally saw him. He was in the middle of doing his weekly face and hair mask. Even though she knew he did this, he switched the days so that she was never prepared for the scare.

Doubling over in laughter, he held his knees and shook. She scoffed, going back to her phone. “I’m never going to get over this.”

Looking up from her screen, she wiggled her finger towards his head and hair. “I’ll never get used to ‘this!’”

Walking over to her, he leaned over, placing a kiss on her head and snatched her phone from her hands. Gabriel offered up a no screen rule unless it was an emergency when they spent time together. Between work and her side projects, Bria’s face was always locked on a screen in one way or the other. Gabriel just couldn’t be assed to be tied to it more than he needed to be. Any time he was on his phone, it was bad news. Usually she stored it with her bag, but with her mind buzzing with information, she forgot.

She grumbled as he adjusted her on the couch, propping up a cushion behind her, then pushed her to a lying position. She almost fussed further, but was soon soothed when a plate of tuna crackers and a glass of wine appeared in front of her. While she munched, he turned to walk to the kitchen, placing the phone on the counter and went to close it before he stopped, looking at the words on the screen.

“Why are you looking up Soldier 76?”

She munched on the cracker, taking a sip of the wine before swallowing. “Oh, Vi and I discovered that he’s responsible for the latest mission failure. I didn’t know anything about him, so I’m trying to do some research.”

“Stop looking into it. It’s being handled.”

Placing the plate down on the coffee table, Bria sat up, taking a slow sip. Moving the cup from her lips to her propped up knee, she cleared her throat. “Why? Isn’t it good for me to at least know who I might run into on the field?”

Tensing his shoulders, he placed the spoon in his hand down on the stove top, placing the lid back on top of the pan. “You’re not going out on any missions for now, so it’s not really any of your concern.”

Cocking her head to the side, she studied his features, noting a bit of smoke that wisped off of him. He was hiding something.

“Who is he?”

“Some asshole with a death wish.”

“But who-”

“Drop it, Bria.”

At this point, he fully turned to her, his red eyes searing a warning to her own green eyes. When he got like this, Bria knew the only thing that would come of this conversation was anger. It had already been a long day. Adding anything else to it would just be fueling a fire she didn’t want to be lit in the first place. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned to the television, trying to cool her own frustrations.

They haven’t been in tune lately since all of these work issues started happening. Normal conversations became biting. Sometimes she felt as if he forgot that they were dating and she wasn’t one of his minions. Instead of making it another heated debate which would only end with her going back to her room for the night, she decided this wasn’t the night.

Moving the pan from one burner to a cool one, he turned to her, taking his hair down from the top knot he had it in. “Care to join me in the shower?”

Turning to look at him, she dropped her attitude when she saw him standing naked, propped against the open doorway. Bria was quick to her feet, putting the wine down and joining him in the bathroom.

-

Bria sat in the busy cafeteria, apple in one hand and phone in the other. Gabriel was off on a mission for a few days, so her free time became devoted to researching the elusive Soldier 76. Finally spotting her, Olivia walked to her, slamming her tray on the table, startling her out of her research.

Trying to soothe her racing heart, Bria cut her eyes in anger at Olivia “Can you not?”

Laughing, the newcomer slid her tray over to her friend, offering a sandwich. She shook her head, putting her phone down and biting down on the apple in hand. “You seemed so zoned out. I had to pull you out of it. How’d your info session go?”

Sighing, Bria put the apple down, rubbing her tired eyes. “Bad. He didn’t say anything, and each time I brought it up he just looked at me like I swore at him or something. Whoever this person is, they really piss him off.”

Taking a bite of her sandwich, Olivia shrugged her shoulder, swigging her apple juice. “Yeah, I figured he would ice you out. Lucky for you, I’m going out on an intel mission tonight. You want in?”

Bria smiled, sitting up straighter, then paused, visibly deflating in her chair. “I’ve got a video call with him tonight. If I leave, he’s gonna know something’s up.”

“Chill. He’s your boyfriend, not your dad. Just text him and say you’re not feeling well and won’t be able to talk or something.”

Nodding, Bria grabbed her phone, shooting off a quick message to Gabe, then turned her phone off. “Perfect. When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I finish this sandwich!”

-

Sometimes, it’s better to trust your instincts instead of rushing into things head on. She tried to make it a point to not lie to Gabriel, but after their conversation, she figured the best way to find out anything would be to do it in person. Turns out, this ‘mission’ wasn’t approved by any of the higher ups. Sombra, Amethyst and two other agents boarded a drop ship and headed off for Dorado. Sombra was going off of a hunch she just needed answers to and managed to talk Bria and two other people into going with her, knowing good and well that if things went bad, they’d be in worlds of trouble here and when they returned. Word of four agents leaving base without permission got back to Doomfist, who immediately tracked their moves. Reaper was called during his own mission which was wrapping up to let him know about what was happening. He was back at headquarters as fast as he could, barely containing his form in his unbridled rage. Together, the two of them sat in his office, watching their tracking beams connected to their communication devices.

As soon as they landed, everyone split up, keeping their comms open just in case. Bria walked down a dark alley, looking around at the walls, taking pictures of the propaganda posters taped to them. Her visor provided dim lighting, allowing her to skirt by things that would trip her up. When she turned a corner, a hand reached out, snatching her back and slamming her against the wall.

Winded, Bria gripped the gloved hand, sending a shock from her left hand to the assailant. He shouted, pulling his hand back. He reached for his sidearm, but a light bullet blew it out of his holster. She trained the gun to his head, holding her phone in her other hand, hovering over an emergency button.

“Make a move and I’ll press this button. It’ll alert every Talon agent in the area of your location. I’m sure you don’t want that, do you?”

“I won’t give you the chance.”

With that, he kicked the phone from her hand, grabbing the free hand and yanked it towards him, twisting her body around to press it against the small of her back. Before she could respond with Calliope, she was shoved to the wall, his hand gripping her other free hand while his body pressed firmly against her own. Grunting in frustration, Bria was trapped. The way he was positioned limited her movement, so any chance to fight back was diminished quickly. 

“Tell me who you are and I might go easy on you, Talon scum.”

“I’m not telling you shit, old man.”

His grip on her wrist grew tighter, causing her to cry out. Taking his hand from her left arm, he pressed it to her mouth, being sure to cup it so she wouldn’t be able to bite his fingers. “Tough talk for the person in their position.”

“Wrong move, jackass.”

When he moved his hand, he freed up her systems. With a flick of her wrists, the lights on her ankles lit up, giving her access to her weapons once more. A light blade appeared on the side of her foot which she jammed into his calf. Crying out in pain, he pulled back from her, giving her room to prop her arms against the wall. She shoved him backwards, running towards the wall to kick off of it, spinning her body around and propelling her fist to his face, knocking the visor off of his face and to the ground. Overestimating the speed she was going at, Bria crashed into him, falling to the ground with him.

Catching her breath, she sat up, moving to crawl off of him, only to still when familiar stormy blue eyes met her own.

“..Jack?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (╯ ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)╯┻━┻


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jealousy is a bitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a bit confusing following the story sometimes when I switch between the character's code names, actual names and nicknames, but there's a reason why I do it. For example, if they are in a meeting, a mission or around other people, they usually use their code names. When they're in a casual or private conversation, they use their actual names. 
> 
> I wish I explained it earlier and I hope it didn't turn people away. Anyway, enjoy!

“Hey Jack, what do you want to do when you retire from Overwatch?”

Bria curled herself a bit tighter on Jack’s couch, stroking the velvet red pillow, tugging on the tassels that hang from it. He turned to face her from the kitchen, two mugs in his hand. He paused, furrowing his brows and looking to the ceiling in deep thought. His life flew by him faster than he could have ever anticipated.

When he graduated high school, he always thought that he would serve in the military for a few years, then buy his family’s farm. Things changed when the Omnic Crisis raged on. Soon he was out of fatigues and donned a new uniform with Overwatch, joined by a group of people he figured he’d spend the rest of his days writing and hanging out with.

Maybe if he was lucky, he could retire somewhere quiet in the countryside where the winds were pleasant, life was steady and reliable and he could finally relax. Maybe, a dog. If he was lucky, a life partner.

With the way everything was changing, retiring might not seem that far off, whether he chose to do so or otherwise.

Walking to the couch, he placed the cups of cocoa on the coffee table, folding his hands together while resting his elbows on his knees. For such a simple question, this should be easy to answer, but it stumped him.

“I don’t know. I never thought about retirement. I figured I’d do this until I got too old and they forced me out.”

Laughing, she sat up, grabbing the cup and cradled it in her hands, letting the steam obscure her vision for a bit. “That means you work too much. What about getting a farm somewhere and adopting a whole bunch of dogs? I’d of course visit every chance I could.”

He chuckled at that, running a hand through his sandy blonde hair, moving his hand down to his growing beard. “That would be nice, but dogs require too much maintenance. I’d leave it at two, maybe a goose? I dunno. Maybe I’ll take up Ana’s suggestion and start a nonprofit for kids transitioning from school to the working world. Who knows.”

Bria smiled, watching the cocoa melt miniature marshmallows. She took a sip, then pulled the mug away, eyes wide with surprise. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. I can’t wait to see how that turns out. But in the meantime, please tell me you’ve written down this recipe somewhere!”

Jack grabbed his mug, blowing the steam away before taking a hearty sip. “You’re going to hate me, but the only thing I did differently is use chocolate from the shop down the road. Otherwise, this is from the packet.”

Dumbfounded, she pulled the mug back, taking another sip. “Huh, well this is surprising. You never cease to amaze me, Jack.”

-

Closing her visor, Bria stumbled off the man below her, horrified to see someone she considered long gone right in front of her. He rubbed his chin, propping himself against the stone wall while he caught his breath. Out of all of the people he expected to see today, she for sure wasn’t one of them.

“w-What the hell are you doing here?”

Wiping blood from his lip with his thumb, he chuckled, reaching for his visor. Rolling it in his hands, he looked her over, growing more and more disgusted with what she was wearing. He heard rumors of her going missing, but he didn’t think she turned to Talon of all places.

“I could ask you the same thing. Since when did you side with terrorists?”

Furrowing her brows, she looked down and noted the emblem etched near her heart, covering it with her hand, turning her head in shame. “Since when did you rise from the grave to fight crime? Who are you, Batman?”

He laughed, shaking his head. Pressing his hands against the wall, he used the solid surface to push himself to his feet, reaching a hand out towards her. She smacked it away, curling her feet below her, pushing herself up from her crouching position. Dusting off her clothes, she looked him over. “I’m trying to fight the people you’ve decided to side with. You know, the people responsible for killing your father?”

“Adoptive father.”

“Same difference.”

Scoffing, she looked over her phone, noting the giant crack in the screen. Sucking her teeth, she shoved it in her pocket. She noticed her communication device knocked to the ground a few feet from her. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

Jack laughed, putting one hand on his hip and running the other through his hair. “Same goes to you, miss. Thought you were busy being corporate America, not aiding in criminal organizations.”

Sighing, she crossed her arms over her chest, averting her eyes from his own. This wasn’t the reunion she wanted. She didn’t even know that he was alive. There were so many questions that she needed answered. The wheels in her head began spinning, piecing together Gabriel’s angry mood towards Soldier 76. He knew about all of this, which meant there was so much more that she needed to learn about. But first, how would she answer this? Obviously, she was taken, but she could have always resisted. Knowing Talon though, she knew that resistance was futile.

“Well it’s not like I personally sent in my resume to them. If I didn’t go, you’d be putting flowers on my headstone. But now, you answer my question. How did you survive? Who else from the old team is around that I assumed was gone?”

“A good amount. Last time I checked in, Genji was exploring the East. Last time I checked, he was in Nepal on a retreat. I know you know Angela and Lena are fine. Jesse is good, not talking to anyone, but good. Ana is alive. Reinhardt is with Brigitte in Germany traveling the countryside, and Fareeha is in Egypt with the military there. Last time I heard about Torbjorn, he was working on dismantling omnics he helped create. There’s a few agents who I tracked who have disappeared, only to turn up dead in cities around the world.”

They stood in silence in the dark alley. Bria tightened her fists at her side, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. So many people were still around, and she didn’t even realize it! In her mission to push on with life, she never thought to think that so many others she presumed gone wouldn’t stay dead forever.

“How? How did you survive the blast?”

“I barely did. Reyes and I were fighting in your father’s office when the first blast happened. The glass in his office shattered and we all tried to duck from it, but when the second blast happened, there wasn’t much else we could do. When I woke up, I was buried under a lot of rubble, but thanks to the SEP program, the explosion didn’t kill me. It was so loud, the smell was unbearable. I saw the destruction around me and couldn’t fathom what the world would be like after everything settled. The world wanted me dead, I assumed. So I pretended like I was.

Things were bad weeks before all of this. You saw it yourself. The shift in people’s attitudes were sharp. Programs were being shut down, jobs being shuffled around or dropped altogether, forces pulled out of delicate locations. People didn’t want Overwatch anymore. They saw the organization as people who wanted to take over and abuse their rights, and got confirmation of that when Blackwatch happened. Reyes was on his way out the door, which is what the meeting was about the following week after your party. Your father, he and I were in the middle of discussing everything when it all happened.

We knew about the bombs, but took it as a light threat. We thought no one would dare to destroy a symbol of peace, but we thought wrong. Now look at where we are. Me, a wanted vigilante and you, a criminal.”

Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, Bria finally met his gaze, noting the pained expression on his face. Her emotions were so mixed. How did life turn out to be so impossibly possible? All she could do was chuckle. Raising his brows, he watched as her body shook, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“Who would have thought the daughter of the Director and the world’s poster boy would be standing in a dark alley in Mexico? I thought the next time I would ever see you was when I took my last breath and finally crossed over, not in front of me completely greyed out wearing dad pants.”

He chuckled, walking towards her. Hesitantly, he raised a hand towards her. She all but fell into his arms, wrapping her own tightly around his waist. Petting her hair, he leaned his gun against his leg, pulling her closer in a tight embrace.

“I’ve missed you so much, BriBri. Despite everything, all of the choices that have lead you to this path, I’m still proud of the strong woman you’ve become.”

She choked, burying her face in his chest, shaking the both of them with her cries. They stayed like that for a few minutes, savoring the moments where neither one of their identities mattered. For a moment, it felt like the days where she would run to his office tear streaked and worried about trivial things. He’d always be there for a hug and a bit of advice. She’d always calm down, they’d talk, then drink cocoa. She’d always fight him tooth and nail to stay in his office, but he’d always encourage her to go back home. 

Finally untangling from each other, Bria steadied her breathing, reaching for her comfort strand of hair at the nape of her neck, twisting it in her fingers. Jack laughed, stroking her cheek with his calloused fingers. “You’ve got to get out of Talon. Sooner rather than later. I got word from an informant inside that things are about to shake up from the inside. It’s going to be bad.”

Stilling her hand, she looked at him, tilting her head to the side. “Wait, you have an informant in Talon?”

“Yeah, someone called Sombra. She’s been sending me mission briefings written by someone named Amethyst. The amount of details that are in those reports are astonishing, down to who will be where. It’s amazing.”

Stunned, she stepped towards him, craning her ear closer to him to make sure she heard correctly. Then she shook her head, blinking off shock and rage that built up inside. “I’m Amethyst. I’ve been writing the mission briefings. I’ve been giving you information and I didn’t even mean to be. Holy shit. Sombra’s been giving you all of this?”

Jack’s eyes widened, staring down at the person in front of him. He shouldn’t be as surprised as he was, but he couldn’t stop the pride that welled inside, even if it was from his enemy. “Wait, you made those? They’re impressive. But yes, she’s been the one spilling everything. She said she’s working on making moves away from the organization, but I didn’t think she would stoop to this level. Then again, I shouldn’t have second guessed it when she shared it so freely.”

Biting her lip, Bria shook her wrist, opening up a holo screen. She typed in a few things, omitting details here and there, then closed it once more. “This will help with my investigation. Calliope’s been tracking anything we find out, but this is building a strong case. Thank you for this information.”

Stammering, Jack held out his hands, shaking them in front of him. “Don’t say I said anything. Last thing I need is more heat coming my way.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t reveal my sources. I just needed this bit so I can run research for my case. When I have everything, I plan on revealing this to the others, then go from there.”

“For what? So they can get the upper hand on their inevitable demise? Bri, why are you helping them?”

Looking down at her hand, she noted the scars that formed from her tinkering, the machinery she made for them, the missions she went on, how she almost died for the same people who years prior would have disposed of her with no remorse. Then she thought of the man who held her so tight in his sleep while he shook, how she would kiss his head and stroke his hair, trace his scars and soothe him back. The same person who helped her with hand to hand combat, taught her how to shoot, how to prepare juicy chicken. The man who saw her at her most vulnerable and embraced her fears and held her heart in his cold hands.

“Because, I just have to.”

Jack noted her troubled stare, then laughed, shaking his head and slinging his gun over his shoulder. He turned his back to her, walking to grab her displaced communication device, dusting off the dirt. “Even to this day, your loyalty to Reyes hasn’t wavered. I just hope he doesn’t hurt you like he has the rest of us.”

Tossing the device her way, she caught it in shaky fingers, clutching it. Turning his head to her direction, he smiled, waving in her direction. “When you’re done playing Mafia, come find me. Some of the old crew and I are working on starting things back up. It’s clear this world needs us again. When you’re ready, say the word.”

With that, he took off just as fast as he appeared. Bria shook, looking down at the device in her hands, mind muddled with conflict. She could always just throw this away and follow him, but how would Gabriel react? What would become of him if she didn’t warn him about Olivia’s plan.

Olivia’s plan.

He warned her about giving full trust, but she made it so easy to befriend her. She was always an easy conversation, an open ear and just general fun. She made all of the problems of their days seem like they were trivial, but maybe that was her plan all along. How much has she actually revealed about her personal life that she didn’t mean to? What about her schematics for the weapons she created? Has she been stealing them this whole time? 

Her decision was final. She couldn’t leave.

The ear piece buzzed to life in her hands. Putting it back on, she walked back towards the drop ship, picking up the pace when a familiar growling voice popped up in the conversation demanding them to return to base. When she reached the drop ship, Sombra stood by the door, urging her to pick up the pace. Bria jogged up the ramp, throwing herself in a seat, strapping the seatbelt. Sombra soon joined her, buckling herself in and sighing.

“How much trouble do you think we’ll be in when we get back?”

Sighing, Bria stroked her thighs, gripping her knees in a poor attempt to ground herself. “Hopefully not as bad as we both think.”

Olivia chuckled, sitting back in her seat a bit more relaxed. “Yeah, they’ll probably forget when we get back.”

-

They didn’t.

The doors to the drop ship opened to Doomfist standing with his arms crossed over his chest, clear aggravation plastered on his face. Next to him was Reaper, barely containing his form. The other agents with them stood behind Amethyst and Sombra, peeking over their shoulders. Amethyst swallowed hard, taking a firm but barely steady step forward, but was soon outstepped by a confident Sombra. Sauntering up to the two of them, she reached a hand out to Doomfist’s shirt, adjusting the material, but her hand was smacked away. 

“Ng, Sampiro, you two are getting docked pay for a month. Sombra, Amethyst, follow me.” The two agents looked at each other, then the others, nodding their heads and double stepping their way from the hangars to their rooms, thankful that the most they lost was money. It could have been much worse. Sombra shrugged her shoulders, following his lead back to his office. Amethyst refused to meet Reaper’s mask, knowing if she saw his face, he would be disappointed. Instead, he walked next to her, taking a few paces away from the two in front of them to speak.

“When this is done, we need to talk.”

She simply nodded, balling her fists to her side, trying to keep her emotions in check.

The march back to his office was a quiet one. It was still deep in the night, so the base was mostly quiet. Those agents who were awake took one look at the four of them and turned away, offering no pity. Word traveled fast around the base about their unapproved trip and rumors swirled about a possible thwarted escape. Sombra attempted to meet their gaze, but only saw the sides and back of the other agent’s heads. Amethyst didn’t even dare to look at anything but what was in front of her. 

Reaching the door, he keyed in his code, sliding the door open and walked in, letting the others follow in after him. Sitting at his desk, he folded his hands in front of his face, cutting a menacing stare in their direction, flicking his eyes from one person to the other. The ring leader to this failed plot slid a chair behind her, plopping down and crossed her legs. The other stood in front of the chair, gripping the back of it, eyes glued to the material. She felt smoke curl against her ankles, then pull away when he materialized once more at the corner of the office, arms crossed over his chest.

“I want to know why two of my best agents decided to run off with two underlings to Mexico with my drop ship on a mission I had no word of, nor approval for. Choose your words wisely, because if I don’t like what I hear, it will cost you dearly.”

Fiddling with her nails, Sombra ignored the threat, fiddling with the paint on the perfect manicure. “I was running intel on a lead I got from Kang. He got word about one of our cartels selling secrets in exchange for some of the drugs and guns we’re shipping out. Apparently, Vasquez doesn’t like the cut we’re taking for keeping them safe, so he wants to find a way to get out. I was just making sure things were correct before I told you.”

Sneering, he slammed his hands on his desk, causing her accomplice to jump. Sombra looked up from her nails, glancing from his hands to his eyes. “Why couldn’t you do that from here? We could have sent word for others to investigate, not waste resources on a hunch from someone who can barely work a keyboard. You know Kang’s sources are no better than the hens at the market, so why trust it?”

“Because he mentioned Los Muertos. They’ve been running rampant ever since I left.”

“Still, that doesn’t explain why you took Amethyst, Ng and Sampiro with you. They could have stayed behind while you ran around reuniting with your old friends. Why bring them?”

“I needed more hands on the ground. I’m not stupid enough to tangle with them alone. Either way it was a good hunch. Not only is Vasquez selling, he’s been filling crates with bricks and other junk and keeping our supply to sell on the side.”

Waving her hand, she pulled up cctv of the proof. Doomfist watched groups of men pull duffel bags of drugs out of a previously sealed crate while others tossed cement bags in. When they finished, the crate was resealed, double checking to make sure that it seemed flawless, then pushed it back on a truck to be sent off. She closed the screen, smirking.

His face never changed. Turning his attention to Amethyst, he drummed his fingers on his desk. “Why did you go with her? Did she tell you that this was approved?”

Clearing her throat, she gripped the back of the seat harder, finally meeting his gaze. Her voice quivered as she spoke. “No. I just assumed that this was alright and went.”

The drumming stopped. Placing his chin on his other hand, he leveled his gaze at her, smirking with malice. “Assumptions will get you killed. I expected better from you, Amethyst. In the future, if you are unsure about anything going on, be sure to ask someone else about it. Now Sombra, for your insubordination, you two are suspended without pay for two weeks. When you return to work, you will be training the new recruits and will get paid a fourth of your normal check for two additional weeks. 

Amethyst, you are suspended for a month with no pay. You will be base locked for two weeks under strict surveillance. When those two weeks are up, we will speak about your future with Talon. You two are dismissed.”

Sombra went to speak, but was silenced with a firm palm raised. Grumbling, she stood, haphazardly pushing in the chair and left. Blinking in disbelief, Amethyst nodded, fixing both of the chairs and walked out. She stared at Olivia, watching as she walked over to two agents who waited at the end of the hall, laughing with them. They turned and looked at Bria, waving at her to join them. Instead, she turned the other way, walking as fast as she could towards her room.

Thankfully the halls leading to her room were empty. That way, no one could see the tears that fell out of the pure rage that flowed through her mind. She knew this was a lesson, she knew Akande was only doing this to show her what could happen if she followed orders blindly, but it still absolutely pissed her off. Olivia was with them longer, she wasn’t a risk in their eyes. She’s proven that she could be trusted, or is enough of an asset to them that any worse punishment wouldn’t be wise. She on the other hand was new, volatile and someone who could be replaced fast.

As soon as her door shut, she ripped off her shirt and tossed it onto the couch. Her shoes were thrown across her living room, landing with a loud thud against the wall. She tore the band from her hair and let her curls flow free, grabbing at handfuls of hair as she screamed with her mouth tightly shut. Her breathing picked up as she paced around her room, the days events playing over like a horrific bully.

Her keypad beeped and she stopped pacing, watching the door slide open. Still in full combat gear, Gabriel stepped in, pushing the door shut and locked it behind him. Pulling off his gauntlets and mask, he pushed his hood off of his head, looking her over. She turned her back to him, digging her nails deep into her palms. He took a step forward, then stopped.

“‘Sorry, I’m not feeling well, so I don’t think I can video chat tonight, babe. I can’t wait to see you again!’ Was that sent before or after you boarded the ship?”

She turned to him, eyes red from crying and cheeks puffy from being wet. “That was before I boarded, but I should have followed up with ‘Oh, babe! You’ll never guess who I ran into?’ Tell me, Gabriel. When were you going to tell me that Jack and the others were still alive? Were you just going to hide that from me like everything else about you and what happened, or was I going to have to find out while getting choked out in a dark alley by someone who I thought was the enemy?”

Stunned, he searched her eyes for deception, but the rise and fall of her chest let him know everything. Burrowing his brows, he walked over to her, grabbing her shoulders. She tried to pull away, but his grip was strong. “He choked you? What else did that asshole do?”

She slapped his chest, trying but failing to push away from him. “Asshole? He wasn’t the one who lied to me! How long have you known he was alive? Did you always know he survived the explosion? What about you almost being fired? What else do you know about the past that I should know about?”

“There’s nothing else to say. You already know everything that I do.”

“Oh, I do, huh? Lately you’ve been treating me like I was just another agent and not your girlfriend! I’d expect that type of behavior from everyone else, but not you.”

“Everyone else, huh? Are you sure I’m the only one giving you special treatment? What about these one on one meetings with Akande in his office? Missed dinners for ‘long talks’? The two of you laughing about jokes that you two are privy to? His familiarity with being able to touch you? Maybe I’m not the only one hiding something.”

Her palm connected with his cheek harder than she anticipated. He took a step back, rubbing the sore skin, his eyes wide with surprise. Mouth agape, she panted, looking from her outstretched hand to his face, taking a step back.

“Gabe. I-I didn’t. I did-”

His hands were on her in an instant, pulling her in for a rough kiss. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling her body closer to his. He bit roughly at her lip, staring deep into her eyes while his free hand moved to her bra, ripping the material in his hands. She gasped, but he wasn’t giving her any space to react. He palmed her breast rough in one hand, the other tangling in her hair, gripping the base with just as much force. Reaching in between them, she yanked at his belt, fumbling for a few moments over the clasps before it unlatched. The button and zipper were simpler, and with aggressive hands, they slid to the ground in a pile around his boots.

He hissed when her hand wrapped around his dick, pressing his head to her own while she manipulated him in her palm. His eyes grew heavy, breathing becoming more haggard the more her pace picked up. Taking this as a cue, she sank to her knees, looking through thick lashes as she opened her mouth, tongue sliding out between plump lips. She flicked at his tip, just barely giving him the touch before blindsiding him completely by taking him down to her throat.

Fist balled at her side with her thumb tucked securely in her fingers, she pulled back, rolling her tongue along his length as she pulled back. Her other hand gripped his hip while she steadied herself on her knees, bobbing back down till he pushed beyond her own limits. Tears spiked at the corners, her stomach tightened, but she continued, using her free hand to slide saliva down his entire length. The hand in her hair tightened when she tapped him twice, pulling her other hand away. Their eyes met, and with a nod from her, he fucked her face, being careful to pull back when she shook her head.

Saliva and precum dribbled from the corners of her mouth down her chin, cascading the smooth skin of her neck down to her cleavage. Enraptured by the sight, Gabriel stroked her cheeks, praising her. After a few rough thrusts from his hips, he pulled out, rubbing his dick on the soft velvet of her tongue. She kissed his tip, then pushed him back. She pushed her bottoms off, kicking her pant leg and panties to the side, resting on her elbows and feet while she butterflied her legs open and shut, thrusting her hips forward. He smirked, pulling off his armor and shirt from his chest, flexing a bit from the pressure relief before crouching in front of her. Within seconds, his hands were on her hips while he lined himself up with her entrance, drenching his tip in her slick before bottoming out fully.

They cried out in unison, her fluttering over his girth, him stroking her hips before he began his assault. Setting a brutally delicious pace, Bria clenched her eyes shut, her nails digging into his forearms as he pistoned into her. He pulled her hips in the air, hooking his arms under her knees, spreading her open for him so he had access to everything she gave him. In return, she screamed, tossing her head back as her body rocketed closer to an earth shattering orgasam. Her eyes rolled back, teeth bared and chest heaving. He groaned, trying to hold out a bit longer, but found himself inching closer and closer over the peak with her.

Her grip on him tightened, pulling him closer and closer over the edge. Gabriel pulled Bria close, tightening his hold on her hip while the other held the back of her head, pulling her face to his. They stared deep into each others eyes, both struggling to keep their eyes from closing out of pleasure. She leaned in for a kiss, but he pulled back, trying to steady himself.

“Who do you belong to?”  
“You! Oh god, Gabriel please.”

“Nobody else?”

“Nobody!”

Crashing their lips together, Gabriel stilled as Bria bucked wildly, her orgasm running high through her body. Her arms tensed, toes curled, and stomach squeezed as she rode out the rest of the pleasure wave on him. He ground his hips against her as he released within her, steadying them both while she came down. 

Together, they paced their breathing to each others, heavy lids fluttering with exhaustion. Gabriel ran his hands through her hair, his thumb caressing her cheek. Things haven’t been alright between them for a while, but maybe this would fix it. He hoped it would fix things. Gabriel knew better than to question Bria’s loyalty to him. They spent almost every day together when they weren’t away for missions, talked on the phone with each other, ate lunch together and spent weekends in each others arms. They greeted the sun together in the morning and flipped the bird the moon off at night.

So why did things seem off?

He tried to ignore her troubled look, the worrying of her lip and the way she averted her gaze from his own. He tried to swallow his emotions when she stood up and put her bottoms back on and walked to the kitchen for a bottle of water without offering him her bathroom to clean up. He fought to ignore the way she gathered up his armor and passed it to him. Normally, she piled it neatly by the door, but instead she put it by his side. 

Ultimately he couldn’t ignore the ache in his heart he felt when he closed her door and walked down the hall after hearing the words he never thought she would say to him.

“I think we should take a break.” 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We ain't over, but the writings on the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, this was so sad to write. Despacito, play Alexa.

Curling into a ball, legs tangled in his sheets, Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut, willing sleep to take him once more. His room was a mess. Broken glass was scattered on almost every square inch of the floor, table flipped to his side and chairs tossed, laying in a tilted heap against his walls. A picture frame sat in the sink, singed and charred. His head slammed with a headache he never experienced in his life.

It couldn’t have been any worse than the ache in his heart.

Checking his phone, he saw no new notifications, no emails or texts. His hand hovered over Bria’s name, just over the call button. His body shook with the wave of emotions that swelled to the surface. He growled, throwing his phone back on the end table, burying his face in his hands, tears flowing through puffy eyes. This wasn’t how he expected his day to begin. He couldn’t imagine that his once cold heart could be warmed by such a sweet soul, only to be ripped to pieces by the same person.

To be honest, it was his fault. He knew better. His gut told him not to question it. He should have trusted her more. The way Bria moved mountains and sacrificed her own sleep just to spend 20 minutes with him should have been an indicator of how faithful she was. She always greeted him with a smile, open arms and such sweet kisses that made him forget the monster he was. The way she would call his name with different inflections depending on the situation, how she would rub his tired shoulders and back after a rough mission, the way her lips pressed at the base of his neck when she was done. Every time she came back from a mission, she made sure to pick up a chocolate or a small gift for him, even if it was just a shell from a beach or a foreign coin.

She was everything right in this world and he was the wrong that broke her.

Dragging himself from his bed, Gabriel shuffled to his bathroom, carefully stepping over a broken whiskey bottle near the door. His hand hovered over the light switched, but he grunted, foregoing them. He couldn’t stand to look at himself. He turned on the water, letting it rise to a comfortable temperature before he stepped out of his boxers and into the water, letting the stream wash off his day. Reaching to the bottles on the shelf, he grabbed what he thought was shampoo and stopped when the cap flipped open. Vanilla and shea butter scented the air. 

Choking on a sob, he dropped the bottle to the ground, leaning his sore body against the wall. His whole body rocked against the surface, fist beating the tile with little effort. Soon, he crumpled on the ground, knees pulled to his chest.

The water eventually ran cold. Mustering the strength to stand, he turned off the shower, grabbing his towel from the hook and dried himself off. Flipping the light switch on, he wiped the steam off of the mirror, finally looking at himself for the first time in two days. His eyes were puffy, bags forming under them. His scars seemed more prominent on his cheekbones, following the marks as they bled to his growing stubble. His hair stuck to his face and he noticed more silver strands than before. He sighed, reaching for a tie on the sink, pulling his hair into a top knot. He stopped short when the fading mark on his neck that she left appeared. His fingers touched the mark, chest shuddering. No, he couldn’t cry anymore. He didn’t even know he could hold that many tears in the first place.

He soon dressed in his work gear, foregoing any food and left his room. He was thankful that he wore a mask. If anyone saw how truly broken he was inside… No. He wasn’t broken. Things weren’t finished completely. They were taking a break. They could always reunite afterwards. He hoped they would. He took the long way to his office, too afraid that if he walked by Bria’s room, he would walk in and beg for her forgiveness.

-

The first week of her suspension was pure torture. She silenced her phone, only looking at it for the time. No one important would message her, and after the third day of not hearing from Gabriel, she gave up on looking at it. She barely ate, rarely moved from her couch and cried herself to sleep on the floor. She was the one who asked for the break, wanted the time to finally focus on everything that was going on in her mind.

The silence drove her mad.

Her body missed Gabe. She missed him in her bed in the morning and the way he felt against her. She missed the way he would dance around the kitchen when he cooked her food. She writhed in pain when his laughter would echo in her mind. She even broke down and cried when she came across one of his shirts in her hamper. His cologne still strong on the fabric, Bria brought it to her face, inhaling his scent and shook with silent sobs. Waking up in the morning with his shirt on her chest made her heart ache.

Olivia stopped by to drop off food, but she refused to answer the door. She didn’t have it in her to fake being okay, especially after everything she learned about her. Her phone calls went unanswered as well. There wasn’t anything that she could save that could salvage what remained of their strained relationship.

On Friday, Bria woke up with a sense of urgency to get up and _go_. Quickly dressing in black leggings, sports bra and black shirt, she slid on her running shoes and left her room, dashing through the halls to the gym. Thankfully it was midday, so the track was hers. Popping on her headphones, she took off, keeping an even pace as she rounded the first lap, ignoring the way her lungs squeezed, knees quaked and feet ached. Panting, she circled the next lap, finding the running high she was looking for and took off, soles pounding the turf below. 

She thought of Jack, the way his eyes looked at her with hurt. She thought about how Olivia smirked at her when she spoke to her in the drop ship, how cooly the words from her mouth fell. She thought about the way Akande referred to her just by her code name, not the name he always used. She remembered Gabriel’s smoking figure in the corner, the way his fists balled at his sides while she got yelled at. Then the memory of deep red eyes pleading with her before the mask clicked on came. The way his hands reached out to touch her, but fell when she pulled back. How her name spilled from his lips with a plea she never heard in her life.

Tripping over her foot, Bria rolled on the ground, lying face up on the ground. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she caught her breath, trying to will the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. Not here. Someone could walk in at any moment and see her. That was the last thing she wanted. Sitting up, she looked down at her phone, noticing an hour had passed since she started. Her stomach grumbled, throat dry from the lack of water and exertion. 

Pulling herself up on shaky knees, she dragged her feet to the water fountain, gulping down the cool water with great need. After two minutes, her heart rate finally came down, legs finally still from shaking. She grabbed one of the clean towels near the door, wiping her face with it, then slung it over her shoulder, walking out of the track to the hallway. She opted to keep her headphones in, not wanting to hear the other agents murmur. When she turned the corner, a familiar black hood and cloak appeared.

Her breath caught, but she kept moving, not wanting to stop. She didn’t think she could bear to see him again, not so soon after everything happened. When she passed, the air shifted, wisps of smoke caressing her ankles, but she doubled her pace, ignoring the set of eyes she knew were burning a hole in the back of her head. Finally making it to the cafeteria, she let out a held breath, shuffling over to the line of other agents waiting for their meal selections.

-

“Calliope, pull up the information you gathered over the past two weeks. If you can, create a timeline for what you know and what I’ve provided for you and create a slideshow.”

Sitting on her couch, Bria gnawed at her nail, watching the holo screen in front of her. In minutes, slides showed up in front of her, detailing moments that her AI collected and the timeline of events since she joined Talon. Looking at the starting date, Bria chuckled, rubbing her ankles. She’s been with the organization for a year. Time really escaped her. It really didn’t seem that long ago since her world turned upside down, but when she got a chance to really think about it, the realization hit her.

Letting her systems run, she walked to her kitchen, grabbing a bottled water and an apple from the fridge, then a plate and peanut butter from the cabinets. Slicing the apple, she cored it, spread peanut butter on one slice and munched when Calliope pinged, signaling the completion. Raising her left hand, the screen hovered closer. She looked at everything she’s collected already, but realized there were a few pieces missing. If she was planning on coming forward with this information, she had to have solid evidence. So far, this looked like hunches she was going off of. Akande already lost faith in her, so she knew she had to pull out a haymaker for him to believe her.

When her two weeks suspension was complete, Bria met with Akande in his office. He kept it brief, telling her that she could keep her job and continue working, but since they didn’t have anything for her to do, she didn’t have to go in. He urged her to think smarter about her choices and who to call if she didn’t trust what she was told. Finally, he told her he was disappointed, but not surprised. 

_”In the future, I expect nothing but perfection from you, Bunmi. If you fail again, I can have your dead body thrown in the river in seconds.”_

Not wanting to chance it, she worked hard on creating this side project. Pulling up the emails she managed to snipe from Olivia, she scanned the words, trying to find anything suspicious, but nothing came up. Grunting in frustration, she closed the window, rubbing her temples. 

“Miss, you have an email from your realtor. It seems like your home has sold.”

Perking up, Bria opened it, looking over at the selling price and squealed. It hurt her to sell her home, but it was no good to her anymore. She hired a realtor who worked with Talon agents specifically to market her home to people within their network who wanted a safe haven. Before she put it on the market, she had it stripped of any of her technology, updating the house to appeal to potential buyers. It was only up for a month before the first offer came in.

“Wonderful, please send out a thank you letter and let them know the new homeowners can move in within a months time.”

“Right away. You also have an email from your public address from an unknown sender. I scanned it, but there were no viruses in the document. Shall I pull it up?”

“Yes, please.”

The email popped up. She read the first sentence and squealed, jumping around her kitchen. The ‘unknown sender’ was Jack. She recognized his writing style even after all of these years. Inside were the emails that he exchanged with Olivia, the pictures she sent as well as bits of her plans and even snippets of her plan. Pulling the information from the email, Bria made quick work of it, adding the information to her timeline. This was just what she needed. Finishing off her snack, she tossed the plate and knife in the sink, gulping down her water. 

“Cai, looks like our case is growing stronger.”

-

Back in the lab, Bria hunched over a scope, tweezers in one hand and soldering device in the other. Personally, she hated working on these things. The most fragile bump to them made them defunct, but the higher ups ordered too many of them. Not wanting to throw away money, they just used them until they couldn’t be repaired any longer. Carefully, she placed the small knob in the socket, twisting it until it stilled. Then she welded the knob to the metal, circling it twice before she pulled back, sighing.

The soldering gun flew across the lab when she came face to face with Moira.

The scientist raised a brow, studying Bria with curiosity. Meanwhile, she was trying to will her soul back to her body. Raising her mask, Bria slammed her hands on her work station, hunching over. 

“Can you maybe say something when you come next time? You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Ever the enigma with showing emotion, Moira crossed her arms across her chest, looking down at the shaken woman. “You looked busy. I didn’t want to disturb you while you worked.”

“And yet, you did. How can I help you? Having trouble with your tanks? Misters on the fritz?”

Shaking her head, she pulled a chair up, sitting cooly. Bria matched her, pulling off her gloves and tossing them next to her phone. “No, but thanks for asking. I heard about your recent failures and I came to talk to you about it.”

_”Does this robot not have tact stored in her systems?”_

Clearing her throat, Bria leaned back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest, leg bouncing on the ground. “Okay? What is there to talk about?”

Heterochromia eyes glanced down at the woman in front of her, taking in the crossed arms, snarl on her lips down to the bouncing leg. Leaning forward, Moira placed her hands on her lap and laughed. Stunned, Bria stopped, shaking her head, making sure this wasn’t a dream. “You really have been around Gabriel too long. His influence on you is strong.”

Her brows knit together at the sound of his name. It didn’t hurt as much as it once did before, but the ache never left. “I haven’t seen him in three weeks.”

“I know, he told me after one of his appointments. I had to kick him out because he wouldn’t leave. He said something about the two of you taking a ‘break’, or whatever you want to call it.”

Sighing, she folded clawed fingers together, choosing her next words carefully. Before she spoke, she looked around for others, satisfied to see no one was around. “I have something for you that you may be interested in.”

Bria sat up, brows raised in curiosity. She tossed her phone in her desk, covering it with her gloves before leaning closer. She knew the lab wasn’t bugged - that was something she made sure of when she agreed to work here. Sensing the heightened mood, she flicked her wrist, pulling up a holo screen with a rough sketch of Moira’s tanks. She glanced at it, then nodded.

“Just in case.”

“I like your style.”

Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out a flash drive, twisting it between two fingers. “I spoke with one of my assistants. After you and the disappearing one returned, rumors spread that you were trying to leave. I knew you weren’t that stupid, so I ignored them until he provided me with something you might like to know. Apparently, your friend is planning something that could hurt a lot of people, especially your lover. They didn’t want to come to you since they’re afraid of Gabriel, so they tasked me with passing this along to you.

I took a look at what was on here to make sure it wasn’t just dumb pictures, but the things I’ve read are scary. I’ll be honest, the stuff on this flash drive is extensive. What is on here could ruin her for good in the organization. Can you believe the idiot left her computer open long enough for him to pull this? I digress, do what you will with this information, but I trust that you will keep your mouth shut about who gave this to you.”

Sliding the flash drive across her workstation, Bria quickly scooped it up, sliding the device in her pocket. “Of course. You’re just here discussing new ways to improve upon your already immaculate tanks.”

“What?”

Rolling her eyes, Bria nodded, pointing her finger in the direction of the door. Out of the corner of her eye, Moira spotted a hooded figure standing in the doorway. Nodding, she stood, moving the chair back to its original desk. “Thank you. When they are empty, I’ll bring them over for you to tinker with. Good luck with whatever it is you’re messing with.”

“Always a pleasure to see you, Doctor.”

Opening the door to the lab. Moira slid past Reaper, taking a few steps before stopping, turning her head to look over her shoulder. “Just go talk to her.”

He glanced at her, then back through the window. Heels clicked down the hall, the sound echoing further until he couldn’t pick it up any longer. With a heavy sigh, he pushed the doors open, taking a few steps forward before stopping. Bria turned to face him, arms folded over her chest. She didn’t have the pleasure of hiding her face with a mask, but she knew he was just as uncomfortable as she was.

“How may I help you, Reaper?”

“Cut the shit, Bria.”

“What do you mean? Are you here to get your gauntlets worked on? Maybe a piece of your mask is broken?”

Growling, he stalked his way to her workstation, standing a foot away from the surface. He looked at the scope, the burn marks that were etched from the soldering gun, then the holo screen displaying a blueprint. He began to speak, then stopped short. What did he really want to say to her? There was so much he wanted to say, but this wasn’t the right place for it. It hurt to even stand in front of her. He saw how her lip trembled, wanting nothing more than to caress her lip with his thumb. He wanted to take her on the desk, wanted to show her how much he missed her, how hearing her voice made his knees buckle.

“Well? Do you need something? Otherwise, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I’ve got a few projects I need to complete before I start my leave.”

_“Leave? She’s leaving?”_ “What do you mean, ‘leave?’”

Reaching in her desk, she grabbed her gloves, pulling the scope closer, refusing to look at the stark white barn owl mask any longer. Clearing her throat in an attempt to stop the quiver in her voice, she continued. “My house sold. I’ve got a few more things to pick up before I sell the rest of the furniture and turn it over to the new owners. I’ll be gone for three weeks, so I have to make sure my work is complete before I go.”

“Do you have an escort?”

“Yes. Braun is coming with me. Then Gillespe will meet me in Athens.”

“Those two bumbling jackasses couldn’t do anything to protect you.”

“Yeah, and you can?”

“What is that supposed to mean, Bria?”

Slamming her hands on the desk, she groaned when the scope bounced, hoping nothing vital broke. Tapping her visor closed, she stood, rage building inside. “It means exactly what I said, Gabriel. The only reason you don’t want those two coming with me is because they’re men.”

Smoke poured off of him in waves. Taking deep breaths, he clenched his fists tight at his side, trying to contain his own temper. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

Eyebrows raised, she crossed her arms over her chest, shifting her weight to one leg. “Oh really? You sure about that? Because the last time we spoke, you accused me of _sleeping_ with my boss. I wouldn’t put the thought past you if my life depended on it.”

“Come on, that was weeks ago! Can’t you just drop it?”

“I’ll drop it when I get the apology I deserve.”

“Wasn’t that toe curling orgasm I gave you enough of an apology?”

Picking up the scope, Bria chucked it to her side, shattering it against the wall. Breathing heavy through her nose, she turned to Reaper, teeth bared and fuming. “Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. Here.”

“Bri-”

“GET OUT! NOW!”

He stilled, stopping himself from walking to her side. In a cloud of smoke, he slipped out of her office, leaving her in a heap on the floor, crying out of rage. The next time he saw her, she was boarding a private jet. Within a few hours, she was in her home, standing in the barren kitchen, a picture of herself, Jack and Gabriel in hand, teardrops sliding down the glass frame.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The saga ends

“You alright?”

Braun stood in the archway of her kitchen, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Bria stiffened, placing the picture face down as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Their plane ride over was silent, neither one really speaking to each other. Truth be told, Braun didn’t feel like she needed to be so closely guarded, but he wasn’t one to disrespect direct orders. He told himself if he saw this as a mini vacation from work, it would go by smoothly.

The crying woman in the kitchen made it harder for him to feel that way.

“Yeah, sorry. I just got lost in thought. Is there anything I can get you? Maybe we can order some food?”

“Oh no, I’m alright. Besides, I’m planning on going back to the hotel. I just wanted to see if you were almost done here so we could head back there.”

Shaking her head, Bria walked past him, tossing the frame in a box in the nearly empty dining room. Removing her personal effects from the house was surprisingly easy. The company Talon hired asked little questions, refused help and nearly taped her to the couch when she tried to move boxes with them. When she asked how she could help, they shoved a clipboard in her hand, requesting that she cross off the numbers on the boxes when they passed by.

She nearly had a heart attack when they packed away her closet. Her bedroom was still disheveled from her fight with Gabriel, but they simply stepped over the remnants of a broken bat, moving from her bathroom to her bed, packing away her towels and sheets. Since she couldn’t help, she just pointed at the items she wanted to pack away. When they came across the drawer with all of his old sweaters, she hesitated, then told them to toss it away.

The past was dead. No need to hold onto them anymore.

Finally, they finished for the night, letting her know they would be around tomorrow to complete what they haven’t finished, she wished them a good night and shut them out. Braun came by a few minutes later, silently standing in her living room while she buzzed around, shifting items around to help out with the packing process later. When he couldn’t hear her anymore, he walked to the kitchen, taken aback by her tear streaked face.

Like others, he’s heard the rumors of the woman who managed to charm the wraith. People thought she was just like him; cruel and heartless, wanting nothing more than the blood of their enemies on her hands. They thought she must have been crazy to even consider it. Maybe she was blackmailed into sleeping with him? What if she was his slave and every night he locked her in his room and drank her blood. Seeing her show emotions reminded him that she was human, and from what he could tell, she was hurting.

He watched as she took a few deep breaths, twist her hair once more into a messy ponytail, then roll up her sleeves, grabbing a broom from the wall.

“Just a few more minutes? I want to sweep up the dirt they tracked in, then I should be good to go.”

Smiling, Braun grabbed the dust pan, twisting the handle in his hands. “Of course. Let me help out with that.”

-

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, this is something I need to do.”

Gabriel stood in front of Akande in his office, arms crossed over his chest. He had a feeling that Bria going back to her home meant trouble, but he wasn’t sure what type. Call it intuition, call it dumb luck, but either he would go with someone knowing his location, or he was going without it. Either way he was leaving base tonight to go to her.

Picking up the small box on his desk, Akande looked it over, touching the smooth leather. Laughing, he closed it, tossing it in Gabriel’s direction. Catching it, he tucked it in his utility belt, patting the pouch. “So you’re moving both of your things into one of the suites, is that correct? Who’s to say she’s okay with this?”

“I think she will be okay with this.”

He hoped she would be, at least. Akande laughed, then grabbed his phone, typing in a quick message before flipping it face down on the desk. “Your request is approved. The jet will be ready for you in five minutes. That should take you enough time to get to the runway from here. Good luck on your mission, my friend.”

Grabbing the duffel bag from the ground, he nodded, turning to walk out of the office. “Thanks.”

-

Standing by her front door with a list in hand, checking off the numbered boxes as they crossed the threshold, Bria watched as all of her personal belongings in the home were stacked neatly in the back of a moving truck. It took three days to fully pack up everything, but as the hour closed, she checked the last item, heaving a heavy sigh. Finally, she signed off on the final pieces of paperwork, shaking the managers hands before they left, sliding the door closed.

She headed towards her kitchen, smacking a box left in the middle of her path with her foot. Scoffing, she moved it to the side, stopping when the worn frame of her favorite pictures shifted. Her partner grabbed the other boxes she had stacked around the house and loaded them in the car. They wouldn’t be any good to her if they remained. The memories of the day that photo was taken made her lip quiver.

She sent Jack and Gabriel a group message, simply stating ‘help.’ Thankfully, it was a Saturday where neither one of them were busy with work, and within a half hour, they were knocking on her front door. From the outside, they heard screaming, the sounds of struggle and glass shattering on the ground. A maid answered the door, smiling at them, but tried to block the door from opening fully. Gabriel nearly shoved her out of the way when a small hand gently pushed her aside. They murmured to each other, then she waved, slipping out of the door.

Before they could say anything about what was happening behind those doors, she pulled them into the car, begging them to take her anywhere but there. Soon, they piled into the car, driving around for an hour until Jack stopped at a park. They walked on a path surrounded by trees, enjoying the sounds of the birds and kids playing on the swings. When they found a lake, Bria took off, standing by the waters edge. After a moment of watching the water, she turned to them.

“Hey, do you think I’ll ever be able to be free? I know I should be grateful for what they’ve given me, but sometimes I wish I was back at the foster home.”

Jack’s heart broke. Gabriel stood next to her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. She circled hers around his waist, trying her best to quell the tears that threatened to fall. Jack soon joined their side, rubbing her back. 

“BriBri, this isn’t forever, and you know it. I wish there was a way for you to get out sooner, but unfortunately neither one of us can help.”

Gabriel knit his brows in disappointment, clamming Jack up. Patting her back, he pulled her out of the hug, cupping her chin in his hands. “But don’t you worry. We will do everything we can to be there for you when you need us the most. Have faith that this will get better, alright?”

Bria smiled, brushing the stray tear that fell down her cheek away. Wanting to ease the tension, Jack pulled out his phone, pulling the two of them together for a picture. Her puffy eyes were disguised in a faint smile, Gabriel’s finger poking her cheek. When it was done, Jack sent it to the group chat, then took hold of her hand, guiding her over to the snack stand near the middle of the park. Gabriel trailed after them, tossing a rock in the water.

She could remember the amount they laughed before she left, but didn’t expect her name to be called so crisp from her doorway. Looking up at the intruder, she dropped the photo, shattering the glass. Silver hair seemingly illuminated by the sun, leather jacket crinkling from the small movements, Jack walked in, sliding her door shut.

Bria watched him, carefully stepping over the shards of glass. Her hands gripped her sweater, noting the anger and the bruise forming on his cheek. His visor was pushed up to his hair, showing tired blue eyes. “Jack, what are you doing here?”

He looked around the corner, making sure they were the only ones in the room before he spoke, taking careful steps in her direction. He stopped when she stepped back, her hand hovering over her bracelet. “I’ve come to get you. I was the one who put in the bid for your house. Don’t worry about your partner, he’s out cold in the car right now. Put up one hell of a fight, though.”

Knitting her brows together, Bria moved one of her hands to her hips, shaking her head. “Wait, you did _what_?”

“I’m the buyer. I figured you’d be back here, so I came to check if my hunch was correct. Guess it was. Why does it seem like you’re not happy about this news?”

“Because I’m not, Jack. I thought this home was for a family who needed it, not a ghost from my past coming to haunt me!”

Jack’s eyebrow raised, standing a little straighter as he watched the fury build up in the small woman in front of him. Last time they spoke, she seemed happy to see him. But now… this wasn’t what he was expecting at all. 

“Come on, Bria. This is the best time for you to get out. They’ll just think you got kidnapped! Just think about it, you’ll be free from their evil schemes and be able to do something worthwhile with yourself, not be their croney!”

Wrong words.

She laughed darkly, shaking her head. Closing the space between them, Bria ran her fingers through her hair, not fully believing what she just heard. Croney? Like she didn’t matter to them? “Oh, so I can just go off and do the same thing with you and your friends? Let me guess, it was one of your ‘cronies’ who planted this little tracker in my house?”

Holding up a small remote in her hand, Jack took it from her hand, turning it around in his hand. He growled, crushing the device in his hands. “No. Which means someone else is interested in you as well. See Bria, this is why you should come join us. You can go off the grid, pretend you disappeared, start over again.”

“What, like you did? Leave people who care about me behind so I can fight crime in the name of justice? No thanks, I’m no coward.”

“You are if you keep associating with the likes of Talon. You’re just so damn stubborn! Afraid to leave Gabriel behind? Afraid that the truth of his lies and deceit will finally hit you?”

Bria shoved him, chest heaving with fury. “I’m staying for my own benefit. When there’s trouble, I don’t run away from them and leave the ones I love behind to suffer from the loss! Maybe sticking around is a foreign concept for you, Jack. Maybe the thought of actions having consequences are too far out of your league. Maybe I wouldn’t be working for Talon if someone didn’t leave me behind to face my mother and the rest of the fucking world by myself.”

“He left you too, you know!”

“I know that, asshole! Both of you are so concerned and wrapped up in your minds that you never stop to think about what you’ve really left behind when you disappeared! Have you ever considered that maybe Talon wouldn’t be the powerhouse it was if you just stuck around? No? I didn’t think so!

Also, just for your inforfuckingmation, I’m not sticking around because of him. I have my own reasons. For once, I feel like my opinion truly matters, and I’ll keep pushing for them until I’m no longer useful!”

Taking a step away from him, Bria panted as she made her way to the stairs. She took a few steps up, but was stopped by a strong hand on her arm. She closed her eyes, willing her fury to lessen. “I know I failed you. I know I failed so many people in the past. I was a coward. You have every right to be angry with me, but I’m trying to right those wrongs. Bria, please, I don’t want to take you by force.”

She tried to pull her arm free from his hand, but his grip was firm. “I said no, now let me go!”

Jack sighed, then pulled her into his arms. He held her wrist tight, preventing her from using her armor. Bria screamed, kicking at his shins, but it was useless. She swung her legs to the sides of his legs, hooking her feet behind his knees. Pressing her back fully against his chest, she moved her feet forward, bending his knees, bringing them both to the ground. Before he could speak again, she slammed her head back into his chin, throwing off his balance. His hands slipped from around her, giving her enough room to crawl away from him. He groaned, rubbing his chin, trying to bring his vision back. He was expecting to see her furious stare, but instead saw black steel toed boots aimed for his chest.

Bria sat back watching in horror as Jack crumple to the floor, blood pouring from his nose. Reaper reached down, yanking him up by the collar of his shirt, fist drawn back. Before his fist connected to his face, Jack slammed his fist against the barn owl mask, cracking it. Reaper groaned, staggering backwards, giving Jack the time he needed to recover. He was relentless with his punches, slamming them against his chest and arms, trying to stun him. One swing connected to an empty space, the fist in the air soon being drawn to arms that materialized around his neck.

Watching them fight was torture. She didn’t know how Reaper managed to show up, but his presence was thankful. As they threw lethal blows at each other, she stayed back, inching closer to the wall as they moved closer to her direction. With her back pressed against the solid surface, she cowered when Jack stumbled back, Reaper grabbing him before he fell against her. Her eyes followed their movements, then darted to the corner, widening when they locked onto a countdown attached to a bomb. How she didn’t notice it before when she was moving astounded her. 

Quickly, she pushed herself up, running towards them with her hands raised in front of her. “Guys, we gotta go, _now_.”

Pulling away from each other, they followed her finger to the corner. Jack grunted when he was shoved, grabbing his gun and throwing his mask over his face. Reaper grabbed Bria, tossing her over his shoulder. Ripping the door open, Jack turned to her once more, pressing a button on the side, illuminating the red visor. “Remember what I said.”

She nodded, her grip firm on Reaper’s jacket as they headed towards the back of the house. He dashed off of the porch, taking three steps before the blast from inside threw them forward to the grass. Pressing his ear piece, he spoke into it, shielding Bria from the debris that began raining down from above. He looked down at her, sucking on his teeth when saw dazed eyes looking back at him. The fence broke from a strong kick, a Talon agent soon appearing from behind the broken wood, waving him on. Holding her firmly in his arms, he took off, jumping into the back of the vehicle, speeding away from the sounds of sirens.

Halfway through the journey, Bria came to, frantically looking around until a clawed hand stroked her arm. Shaking in his arms, she grabbed his jacket tighter, leaning her body heavily against his, refusing to leave his side. One of the medics in the back of the van tried to check on her, but she refused, shielding her face in his chest. 

“Leave her. She’s fine.”

With that, they backed off. When they arrived to the safehouse, Reaper stepped out of the van, sending the other agents away. As much as they wanted to protest, one stern grunt told them otherwise. He lowered Bria’s feet to the ground, allowing her to walk over to the couch as he locked the door to the cabin. Turning on the lights and shutting the curtains, Gabriel finally removed his mask, placing it on the counter. As he removed his armor, his eyes never left hers, taking in her worried face and quivering lip.

Rounding the side of the couch, Bria stood, hands knotted together in front of herself. He was slow with his approach, standing just steps from her. Fat tears fell from her eyes, his chilled hand stroking them away. With a choked sob, she threw herself into his arms, his soon pulling her closer to his body. For the first time in weeks, they finally touched each other in ways they’ve been denied. Her hands dragged down his back, his caressing her scalp. Lifting her up, Gabriel crushed his lips against hers, Bria’s legs wrapping firm against his hips. Any apology he could think to say were on her lips, her apologies in needy caresses. He walked the two of them to the bedroom, kicking the door shut before they fell to the bed.

-

The drive to the airport the next day was too fast. Bria never let go of Gabriel’s hands, giggling at the shades he sported, wondering if it was even necessary now. The car they rode in was completely tinted. Even if someone were to look in, they wouldn’t be able to get a good view of anything. Braun met them the next morning at the safehouse, dropping off Bria’s suitcase to her. He reassured her that her personal items would be sent to her room, but figured it would be beneficial for her to have a change of clothes for Athens.

He wanted to stay and talk longer, but when a shadowed figure stood in the doorway, he thought better of it. She waved to him as his car sped down the road, turning to see Gabriel’s shit eating grin appear from the mist, his hands clutching a cup of coffee.

When they pulled into the drop off, Gabriel helped pull out her suitcase, being extra careful to make sure his hood stayed put. He checked over everything, being sure that she didn’t leave anything in the car. Before they departed, she pulled him by the hood down to meet her face, placing messy kisses on his lips, earning a whine and smile from the normally brooding man. His hand caressed the ring on her finger, kissing her left hand before she pulled away.

“I expect an answer when you get back!”

“You got it, boss!”

After dealing with security and baggage claim, Bria boarded the flight, eyes tired but happy as they looked over the solitaire diamond that rest on the silver band. Twisting it around, it sparkled in the light, casting reflecting lights against the back of her seat. These past few weeks have taught her a lot, but the night before reaffirmed her fears of losing Gabriel again. She just didn’t expect to see him in her house, nor on one knee in the kitchen of the safehouse, blush painted on his cheeks with a box in his hand, hope sparkling in those red eyes with one question for her.

“Will you marry me?”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confronting the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to update the story as best as I can, but it seems like my schedule says otherwise. Heavy warnings for violence, blood, drugs and alcohol mentions.

Bria couldn’t tell if she got enough rest, or it was the thought of stepping foot into her mother’s home that was weighing her down, but she was exhausted. With the combination of the fiasco that was her home selling failure, to the elation of being newly engaged to the love of her life, she hasn’t gotten a chance to just sit and breathe for a while. After she landed, her mother’s driver waited for her down at baggage claim to help gather her items, but after much convincing, they stopped at a cafe down the road to grab a coffee and a light snack. The driver who she remembered fondly from the time she stayed in her home, had politely refused her kindness to a coffee and a snack until it arrived in front of him and he could do nothing else but enjoy the well earned treat.

Soon, they were off, up the winding hill and through the tall golden grass fields to the cliffside mansion. Once they passed through the gates, Bria took a deep breath, preening at her hair and outfit, dabbing on light makeup on the bags under her eyes. Even though she knew it would be for naught, she had to try to put on the appearance that her life wasn’t absolutely falling apart.

Then to her reluctance, she removed her engagement ring and slid it into a secure pocket in her purse. For all the love in the world she has for him and as much as she wanted to shout it from the rooftops that she was marrying Gabriel, Bria knew it was best to hide some things from her mother. If she saw any signs of happiness, the judgements would begin and she just didn’t think she could handle any more torment.

The gorgeous arches that stood tall along the path towards the front door would make anyone gasp in awe at how lovely the Meditteranean style home was, taking in the lovely wildflowers that swayed in the wind with the tall grass at its side, the stone path that recalled days of old, something that an Emperor would pay handsomely to have in their palaces.

All it reminded Bria of was the anger that lay behind the doors.

Maybe things got better. She hoped they got better. When she returned after college, Gamila wasn’t as angry as before. The time apart did them some good, leaving communication to a monthly item, little trinkets being mailed between the two. After she moved back in, her mother was quieter, more fragile. She drank less and stayed away from medicine as best as she could. They went out shopping, for strolls in the garden and watched the sunset a few times. They made meals together and for the first time in their entire relationship, they laughed together.

Then the money from her father’s estate ran dry. Her mother’s inheritance from her family and her late husband was all but gone, and threats of foreclosure began daunting them. Letter after letter was burned and Gamila did all she could to ignore the weight of the world crashing down on her until a group of very angry muscle men and an loudly dressed man knocked on the door, demanding the funds or the two of them would be kicked out. At that point, Bria sold off her designs for the smart watches she designed and received her first royalty check, so she gave them the funds they requested and promised to pay more than needed to buy the home outright if they would just get the hell off the property. It took some convincing, but they eventually left.

After that, Gamila’s spirit spiraled lower than before. She felt betrayed by the fact that her own child had to bail her out of something and embarrass her in front of people. She was so blinded by rage that this once penniless orphan had more than she had and she couldn’t _stand_ it. She was livid when Bria returned with paperwork and the deed to the home in her hands. How dare she take the one thing that she alone owned from under her? Even after her daughter tried to explain that the home was still hers, the damage was done. Her pride was irreversibly wounded.

So she did what any “sane” woman would do and threw the documents in the fire and slapped Bria. Wine bottles were thrown in her direction, plates, glasses, shoes, small statues. Anything Gamila could reach, she threw. Then, she screamed. She screamed and cried on the cold tile floor while Bria lay on the ground, bruised and cut up, glass shards scattered by her broken ankle she got from running away. 

She didn’t move from the spot even after the maids came and helped Bria to the car and off to the hospital, not even when they began cleaning the mess and offering her food and drink. Bria moved for good shortly after, leaving just enough for her mother to survive off of and for the general upkeep for the home. After she joined Talon, she made sure that the funds were still there, but noticed they were drying up faster than normal.

Thus the reluctant visit.

As she approached the massive tuscan doors, they slowly opened. Maids on autopilot didn’t notice the visitor until she placed a gentle hand on their shoulders. Immediately their eyes lit up in excitement. They were quick to offer her a drink and her favorite meal, but she politely waved them off, offering them a two hour break instead. She didn’t think she would need more than that, but it would give her the true privacy she needed to have this discussion with her. They happily obliged, nodding their heads in appreciation before all but running for the side doors. She watched them as they left, empathetic for their glee at the thought of a break. Being on hand for such a disaster as Gamila must be taxing on them.

She surveyed the home, noting that things seemed to still be in place, but there was a noticeable smell wafting from the carpeted stairs. It seemed fairly new, since the rest of the home seemed to be clean except for dust here and there. Following her gut, Bria walked up the curved stairwell, side stepping a few bottles before she reached the top, following the path across the elevated open hallway that lead to her mother’s master suite. Telltale signs of her stumbling around were evident in the tipped over vase with flowers cascading across the floor. Pill bottles and clothes sat in a heap on the lounger outside her bedroom doors.

With a heavy breath, she approached slowly, being cautious not to rouse suspicion just in case she was waiting by the door to attack. After a few knocks, she turned the handle and was immediately sick to her stomach at the stench of old wine and sick that wafted from inside. Bottles littered the floor, some medicine, some wine. In Gamila’s eyes, they were one in the same. It was absolutely insane how one person could ingest so much and _not_ be six feet under. Stains littered the walls, the white stone floor below her turned purple from the spills. As she rounded the corner, she saw Gamila curled up on her bed, frail and sickly. 

Seeing the once fierce and pride filled woman reduced to this was shocking. Bria tried her best not to gag, but the coughing woke her mother from her rest, bloodshot eyes staring daggers at the intruder. One hand in the air, the other covering her mouth, Bria watched as realization dawned on her face. With a sigh, Gamila pulled herself up, her hands rubbing her arms, trying to ward off the chill that set deep in her bones.

“Bria, what brings you here? I thought you said you were never stepping foot in this hellhole again?”

“I came here to see why the accounts have been running dry faster than normal. I guess I have my answer.”

Gamila laughed, coughing a bit before she leaned back on her bed, one hand reaching for the half full wine bottle that sat in the bed. She took a deep swig, smacking her lips when she pulled it away. “Your answer, huh? Have the staff been stealing money from you again? They used to do it to me when I ran things, but thankfully I don’t have to be a poor sap like you and get robbed.”

Ignoring the snide comment, Bria moved her hand away from her face, walking over to the balcony doors, cracking them. Gamila groaned, shielding her eyes from the light. With a hiss, she threw the bottle towards her, it’s intended destination missing by a few feet. Glass and wine cascaded by her feet which she sidestepped, pulling the curtains to the side to allow the loving ocean air into the too stale room. Her stomach still pulled to give up what she offered, but she persevered, turning to gather some of the empty bottles from the ground.

“I doubt they’re stealing from me. If anything, the only one truly over indulging in a helping hand is you.”

As she gathered the bottles, Gamila rose from her bed, taking heated steps towards her daughter, slapping the small plastic bottles from her hands. As they clattered on the ground, she grabbed her wrist, trying to twist it, but was unsuccessful in her efforts. Bria snatched her wrist out of her bony fingers, taking a step back. She shook her wrist, rousing Calliope from its resting state to be ready for anything she could throw her way.

“Just who the hell do you think you are, you ungrateful bitch? How dare you walk into my home and invade my privacy?”

Scoffing, Bria chuckled, placing one hand on her hip, the other balling in a fist at her side. “Oh, I’m the ungrateful bitch? You’re the one drinking and popping her way to death on another person’s dime! If anything, you should be happy I don’t throw your drunk ass on the street!”

Gamila pulled back, her palm careening for her cheek, but Bria held her wrist in her hand, applying light pressure. Her other hand met the same fate. She struggled in her arms, trying to pull herself free, grunting and stammering as she struggled in her daughter’s hold.

“How dare you treat me this way?! I’m your mother! I knew I should have left your ass in Switzerland after my husband died! You’ve been nothing but horrible since we took you from that orphanage. You’ve always been disobedient! You never did anything I said and always ran to those bastards in Overwatch for help! 

I bet you were spreading your legs for all of those damn agents, hoping one of them would take pity on your stupid ass! Stupid, insolent, disobedient girl! You think I really need you? Never forget you weren’t anything but a poor beggar before we found you and made you who you are now! Be grateful to me for saving you all those years ago!”

With a shove, Gamila was on the floor, her hands rubbing her wrists as Bria approached her. Standing over her, angry green eyes stared down at her, disgusted at the words that came from her mouth. 

“Tch, my ‘mother’, huh? You’ve never liked anything about being that. You never wanted me, that is true, but for me to call you my mother, you needed to have earned that, and from the brief time I was under your care, you’ve never proven that. All you did was leech off of father and beat me when I didn’t do what you want. Yeah, I ran to my friends in Overwatch, but unlike you, I don’t spread my legs to anyone and everyone with a bank account and a smile. Hell, people needed me, wanted me. They cherished the time they spent with me. They actually cared about me. Father was always off fucking his secretary because you were such an unbearable bitch to be around! 

No one wanted to be around you. No one could stand to be in your presence unless they were forced to. Between you and father, my life was absolute hell. Of course people took pity on me! I could see it on their faces and the way they spoke to me! You’ve always needed me though. You needed me to be your punching bag because you hated everything that I represented. I was young, beautiful and smart. While you had to rely on your money to get you somewhere, I could get what I wanted with hard work and determination. You hated my skin, hated my hair, hated my eyes, hated everything I represented because it was something that you could never have. A future that I alone could control.”

Side stepping the heap on the floor, Bria headed towards the exit, brushing off the sticky residue on her hands on her jeans. With her hand on the door, she held it open, turning to face the shadow of the person she once knew as her mother for the last time. 

“You have 48 hours to get all of your shit out of this house before I sell it. Fend for yourself since you don’t need me anymore, Gamila.”

Slamming the door shut, she took greedy breaths, all but running down the stairs as she ignored the screams from the bedroom, her name echoing off of the walls and down the hall, chasing after her. She waved to the staff, wishing them well on their next adventures before she walked out of the front door. As she approached the car, her phone already connected to Max, requesting that he arrange another home sale. They ironed out the details by the time she reached her hotel, exchanging pleasantries and ending the call. As she checked in, she arranged to have movers come by and grab what little personal items she had still in the home, then turned her phone off.

Gillespe met her in her room, giving it a once over before he left through the connecting door, leaving her alone for the night. He must have seen how tired she was, because he didn’t bother asking about the stains on her clothes or the way she shook. She was thankful that he wasn’t as nosy as Braun was. Maybe they could do more missions together when she got back in good graces with Talon.

_Talon._

She outwardly groaned at the thought of work, opting instead to take an entirely too warm shower, order room service and pass out on the couch with a burger on her lap. Somehow, she shouldn’t have been so surprised to see a dozen missed calls from numerous people, the three voicemails or the texts that bombarded her phone. The first few texts were from Max, letting her know the home has been purchased and should be ready for the new home owners in three months after they clean up the 'new mess’ that has been found on the property. 

Puzzled, she closed those, then sent Gabriel a brief text, letting him know she was returning from her trip early. Finally she listened to the voicemails as she gathered her things and packed them away, stopping in the middle of the room when the final voicemail played.

As she slept peacefully through the night, Gamila threw herself off of the cliff at the edge of the home.

-

The flight back to base was too short, though it was quiet after the chaotic day she had of planning a modest funeral, placing notices out to the proper channels and finalizing the sale over a conference call. Staff still had to be paid off, the cleaning crew needed to work double time to get everything in order, and accounts needed to be closed. After everything was squared away, Bria and Gillespe piled into the private jet. He sat across from her, handing her a box of tissues as she sobbed. The weight of everything finally crashed down in a messy heap on her and all of her feelings that she held close to her spilled out in choked sobs and dry heaves.

Losing Gamila wasn’t the hardest part of all of this for her. Somehow, she was happy that it was over, but she felt terrible for the way she treated her. The woman was a pure monster to her from age 16 to now, evil in every way, so why did her heart ache so much? The thought of being the last of the Petras clan felt both freeing and heavy at the same time. The death of her father was hard on everyone, but it seemed that the same bittersweet ache came back with a vengeance as tears fell from her eyes at the thought of never seeing her adoptive mother ever again.

Eventually, she fell asleep in her seat, only waking up when a pair of warm hands rubbed her arms. The plane landed hours ago, but her travel companion didn’t want to wake her. She was in a deep sleep and he felt like she needed it. Instead, when he walked off the ship, he let Reaper know she was inside, and then was quickly dismissed. Entering the dim cabin, his eyes fell to the sleeping woman, a warm smile forming on his covered lips. She stirred, but continued to rest as he gathered her in his arms, slinging her bag over his shoulder and disembarked the plane.

When she finally awoke in their new bed, he was by her side. She wrapped her arms around his waist, shaking both of them as fresh tears fell from her eyes. He held her tight and rocked her, hoping that just being there for her would be enough. When she finally calmed down, she told him everything. The state of the house, the argument they had, the way she left her, everything. He of course wasn’t surprised, but didn’t say anything. From what he remembered of Gamila, she was a piece of work from the moment he met her until the last time they spoke, so for her to go out in a dramatic fashion didn’t stray too far from his memory of her.

After a well earned shower and a warm bowl of soup, the two of them cuddled on the couch, half paying attention to what was on the screen. During a commercial break, Bria leaned heavily against him, her head resting in the crook of his neck. She placed feather light kisses on the skin before her lips kissed the shell of his ear.

“I’ll marry you, Gabriel.”

He froze, pulling her away from his side. She smiled wide as disbelief painted over his features, the realization of what she said finally dawning on him. He couldn’t help the giant smile and the sparkle in his eyes, holding her hands in his own.

“You mean it? No lie?”

“No lie.”

With that, he pulled her into a breathless hug, squeezing her a bit too tight while he kissed the top of her head, pulling back just enough to capture her lips to his. The next day they were in a chapel near the base. With Bria dressed in a lace white sundress and Gabriel in a black button down shirt and matching black dress pants, the two of them sporting low top converses, they were wed with Akande as the only witness. 

That night they checked into a hotel near the beach, eating rich foods and singing terrible karaoke. They kissed on the balcony and made love on the floor of the bedroom, moonlight bathing the two of them in new light as their passions ran through the two of them, Gabriel skillfully bringing Bria to her peak multiple times that night. In the morning, the two of them ate breakfast and watched the waves from their room before they packed up and returned to base, locking themselves in their new room for more celebration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light's out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light violence. Mega death.
> 
> Sorry.

Returning to the flow of full time work was a bit difficult for Bria to handle. Gabriel and Bria were given the remainder of the week she requested off to enjoy each other’s company, but were expected back first thing Monday. So there she sat, mug full of mocha chilling as she stared at a scope, trying to bring herself to focus on what was in front of her but just couldn’t get it together. Three nights ago, she was woken up to another email from her inside source giving her more nails to add to the coffin that was the case of Sombra. She hadn’t thought too much about what to do about that situation when she returned, but this new information connected all of the pieces together, giving her enough evidence to make a case against her former friend.

According to her timeline, Olivia has been planning an attack with a former associate of Talon in order to topple them as the leading crime organization and take their place. From the inside her job is simple: Fry the systems, leak pertinent information to the international news about the whereabouts of Akande, Gabriel, Amelie, Moira and others who are high on the most wanted list. Whoever was listed on the dossier would fall as well, including Bria.

The higher ups would host a quarterly meeting in Rialto to discuss the organization’s progress on their tasks and other things like budgets and hirings, or new recruits. The building would be rigged with explosives and when they were an hour into the meeting, it would explode, killing everyone inside and sending the surrounding area into chaos. When the bombs went off in the building, the headquarters would be raided and agents of all ranks would be rounded up and arrested. Before the final group was gathered, bombs hidden around weak points at the headquarters building would be detonated, destroying any chance of rebuilding and taking any outliers with it.

If agents were out on the field, they would be turned on by sleepers that infiltrated the organization. Jets and other forms of transportation would have their systems fried, ensuring total elimination. As the information pieced together, Bria shook in fear. Information of the fall of Overwatch came out months after the initial blast, showing that they knew of an incoming attack but did nothing with the information. Next came the scathing reports of Jack and the nasty stories of his love life and what he did behind doors. She stopped watching television afterwards, fearing that her temper would get the best of her.

She knew first hand how disastrous this could be, despite everything in her screaming to let it happen. At the end of the day, she would go down with them as well, and that wasn’t something she was willing to risk, especially since she finally got everything she wanted. Eventually, she gave up, pushing away from her desk in a huff. The lab was quiet today, which she was thankful for, but when she stepped out into the halls, they were equally as quiet. As she walked by, she noticed eyes on her more than normal. She looked herself over, making sure she didn’t have any stains or a sock on her clothes, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

The cafeteria fell to a chilling hush when she walked in, people giving her dirty looks as she walked by. As she poured herself a fresh cup of coffee, an agent ran into her, causing her to spill the contents of her mug on the counter. She turned to them, eyebrow cocked and curious to see if they stumbled, but was met with a cheeky smiling agent. 

“Oh, I’m sorry Princess. I didn’t mean to bump the Director’s daughter off balance.” 

As they laughed, her brows furrowed as she leaned her head to the side. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

Another agent stepped forward, their hands stuffed in their uniform pockets, staring at her down through his nose. “You heard him. Former Overwatch Director’s daughter Bria Petras, is it? I wonder how a Princess like you ended up as one of Talon’s highest tech agents, but we have an idea on how you got it.”

“Your jaw hurt? I hear Doomfist is a bit rough with his women, but you look like you know your way around a di-”

The man collapsed to a heap on the floor after Bria slammed her mug into his jaw. Blood poured from his mouth as he whined, his friend kneeling next to him to help him up. Other agents stood, their hands balled in fists at their sides as the furious woman looked at them. With a huff, she stormed out of the cafeteria, shoving people to the side that were in her way. She heard shouting and the sounds of footfall, but was relieved when they went in the opposite direction of her. 

Without a clear destination, she went through a few hallways and doors, stopping when she realized she marched her way to Moira’s lab. The assistants working in her lab looked at the intruder, then pointed to the side as she began to speak. Panting, she trudged towards Moira’s office, knocking twice before she stepped in, sliding the door shut and locking it. The scientist didn’t even bother to look up from her beakers, shaking her head as she placed the items in her hand down on her work station.

“So you’ve been outed.”

Bewildered, Bria ran her hands through her hair, scoffing as she paced back and forth in front of her door. “Apparently! But by who?”

“I think you know who.”

Stopping, Bria’s eyes narrowed as anger began to coil deep in her stomach. Trying to take deep breaths, she rested her hands on her knees, staring at the ground. “But why? I haven’t done anything to her!”

“I think you know why. How is your research going?”

“It’s going fine, but I just wanna-I gotta-I just! Moira, that’s cold!”

Bria stilled as Moira held up a finger in front of her as she adjusted the stethoscope on her chest near her heart, eyes locked on the watch on her wrist. After a minute of silence, she was pulled to a chair and pushed back in the seat. Pulling out a light, her pupils, throat and neck were checked. Finally, with a hand on her head, she pulled away, shaking her head.

“Your heart rate is abnormally high. No fever or any other signs of high blood pressure, but this is odd. Try calming down. Your partner should be back on base soon, so we can call him and the others in for a meeting within an hour to discuss what you’ve found, but you need to get that regulated before they see you. I don’t want you dropping from a heart attack in front of them.”

Blinking a few times, Bria had to make sure that the voice of concern was truly coming from the normal stoic woman in front of her and not some hallucination. “Oh. Okay. Well, thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I don’t want you looking like a stammering buffoon in front of the others.”

_“There she is.”_

-

Two hours later, Bria, Moira, Gabriel, Akande and Maxamillien sat in a conference room, going over Bria’s timeline. The room fell silent as the others simmered on the information relayed in front of them. Despite having a strong case, the fact that most of the information was stolen was worrying. On top of that, she refused to give her anonymous source, hoping that they still had some sort of faith in her to believe what she was saying. As it became deafeningly quiet in the room, Akande spoke.

“This information is truthful, Bunmi? Because if we launch an investigation and discover that this is just you crying wolf, your new bed will be the river.”

Swallowing hard, she nodded, gripping the pen in her hand tight. “Yes. I’ve done some light investigation of my own, just enough to fact check and everything came back to the same conclusion.”

Crossing his hands in front of his face, Gabriel looked at her. “When did you have time to compile this information?”

“I got most of it together when I was on suspension. The rest of it came together three nights ago. She might have caught wind of something, thus my outing, but otherwise I was extra safe when I did my research. The server I’m working off of is private. She hasn’t been able to infiltrate it since the first time we met, and she’s attempted it five times since getting here, the latest three happened after we got back from our “mission.”

Ever the mask of a reaction, Max sat back with his hands folded neatly on top of his crossed leg. “Do you think this leak was deliberate? A way to shake a reaction out of you?”

Before she could speak, Moira chuckled, placing the pen in her hand down on her notepad. “Of course. Sombra isn’t stupid, but her way of going about this is. I think she figured Bria would still place her friendship with her, so when the information came forth of her true identity, she probably figured she would run to her side and ask her for help. They’ve been inseparable up until a month ago, though.”

“She figured you were gullible because you’ve been so forthcoming with information to her before that she hoped you’d never suspect it was her who did it. Which is why I told you before to never give her anything she could build off of, Bria.”

“That does explain why you were the only one who hasn’t received the email from her. The whole base woke up to it.” Holding up the phone in his hand, Akande scrolled through the cc list, reading off most groups with the exception of Bria. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose through pinched fingers.

“Which also explains why she’s been desperately trying to attack my shit.”

“Language, Bunmi.”

“Sorry, but I digress, I had a feeling something like this was coming down the pipeline, so I acted on my hunch and so far, it’s been pretty accurate. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything to anyone before this, but I didn’t want to come to you all with just a suspicion. After my last mistake, failure just wasn’t an option.”

After another moment of silence, Akande cleared his throat, resting his elbows on the table. Resting his chin on his thumbs, he turned to Bria, brows furrowed together. “So, now that I know that there is a traitor in my ranks, what do we do now? She already messed up twice. Once on your little escapade, the second time in Volskaya. Obviously, something needs to be done about it.”

Gabriel sat up straighter, turning his attention to the man next to him.

“I have an idea.”

-

Bria was sick the entire morning of her mission, more so than before. She went to Moira who drew blood just in case she caught an illness during her travels and handed her anti nausea medication, which only made things worse. As she boarded the drop ship with Sombra and Reaper, she clutched a paper bag in her hand, her other hand patting her pockets to make sure she had more just in case the flight didn’t agree with her. As she buckled in, Sombra plopped down next to her, looking at the bag and her ashen face.

“Bri, you don’t look so good.”

The knot in her stomach twisted harder.

“Oh, I’m fine. I think I caught a bug in Athens. That airport is notorious for open mouth coughing people. I should have grabbed a mask when I had the chance.” 

Patting her thigh, Sombra sat back in her seat, pulling up a show on her screen. “That sucks. Hey, when we get back from this mission, I can get you a ginger ale and we can finally finish that episode of Grey Mirrors.”

Lurching forward, Bria dry heaved into the bag, squeezing her eyes shut. Reaper sat back in his seat, wishing more than anything that he could be by her side, but the plane took off soon after. The mission should be easy, at least she hoped it would be. They were supposed to grab new guns from a supplier in Madagascar they’ve been chummy with in the past, but in their haste to escape the local police, they left the warehouse packed with munitions. In a good faith gesture, the three of them would go grab the items and leave soon after.

Hours later, they arrived at the small warehouse off the coast. Fog gave them just enough cover so that they wouldn’t rouse suspicion from local authorities. Taking a heavy breath, Bria got up from her seat, setting up her work station on the ship. For this mission, she was running intel for them, giving them blueprints of the building. With their comms secure to their ears, they headed into the building and found they met no resistance. That was good. No one was supposed to be in there anyway.

“The door might be locked. Enter the code 854256. If that doesn’t work, can you try hacking it, Sombra?”

Reaper stood behind her as she typed in the code. Of course, the code didn’t work. With a tsk, Sombra hacked the panel, allowing the heavy metal door to slide open before she cloaked herself, stepping in first. Reaper soon followed, dissolving into smoke as he investigated the building.

“We’re in. Where next, Amethyst?”

“The boxes should be in the corner room at the end of the third hallway. The doors should be unlocked, but if you can’t access it-”

“Hack it. Got you.”

After clearing the other rooms, Reaper made his way back towards the room in question, falling a few footsteps behind his partner. She worked the handle, finding that it was in fact unlocked. Uncloaking, she stepped in, reaching her hand along the side of the wall for a light switch, but found that they didn’t work.

“Hey, the power’s out in the room. Amethyst, are you seeing any power failures on your side?”

Silence.

Trying a few more times, Sombra removed her ear piece, turning to Reaper. “Hey, is yours working?”

Before she could get a reply, the door slid shut. With a click, she was locked in the room. Trying the handle a few times, she attempted to hack the panel, but found that her tech was down as well. Banging her fist against the door in frustration, she turned to face the room, looking around for any sign of light.

“What the fuck? Reaper, let me out of here!”

“Sorry, I don’t help traitors.” 

With that, he turned to leave, the echo of his footfalls moving away from the door heightened her anger. Olivia pounded on the door, wishing she brought her gun with her, but was told that they weren’t needed. As her fists pounded against the door, the lights flicked on. While she was locked in, Bria managed to connect to the building’s server, remotely controlling the power in the room. Realization of the situation she was in dawned on her when familiar boxes hung down from the ceiling.

“An EMP room?!”

“You got it, chica.”

Turning to the holo screen that flashed in front of her, Olivia glared at Bria, fury plastered on her face. The face that looked back at her portrayed delight that didn’t quite match her eyes. “What the hell is this? Some kind of prank?”

“No, my dear. A prank is something that two people laugh about after the deed is done. Now this, this is revenge. Ever heard of my good friend Karma?”

“Cut the shit, Bria. Let me out of this room so we can finish the mission.”

“Ah, see. I can’t do that. It looks like you pissed off the higher ups with a few of your plans to take down Talon. I tried to fight your case, but well… you leaked some very private information of mine. Actually no, I lied. I didn’t fight your case. I helped throw you under the same bus you put me in front of. Leaking my info is child's play. Plotting to destroy your employer is another thing entirely. Talon sends their regards.”

With that, the screen went dark. Olivia’s eyes went wide, her breathing becoming rapid as she tried to reach for the panels on the ceiling, looking for anything to give her a boost towards them. Then, she heard crackling. As Bria pressed the button on her screen, a bolt of electricity shot through the room from the metal rod on the ceiling directly for the tech on Olivia’s spine, frying the systems completely. Apparently, the machine hadn’t been calibrated correctly, because the blood curdling scream she let out stopped Gabriel in his tracks.

“Amethyst, turn the system off. Something’s not right.”

Pressing it once more, the rod turned off, making the room safe once more to enter. Gabriel unlocked it, sliding the door open. He took a step in, but stopped short when he locked eyes with the person on the floor. Ripping the mask from his face, he stared in horror as he looked at his former coworker laying in a pool of her own blood, body still writhing from the aftershocks, life fading from her eyes before him. After he failed to reply to her calls, she dropped into the room once more. When the image flashed in front of her, she lurched to the side, throwing up the contents in her stomach into a paper bag. Max told her the shock should be enough to stun her, but she didn't want this. She never wanted this to happen. When her stomach finally calmed, she sat back up, closing the screen, trying to catch her breath and wish away the vision of Olivia laying dead on the tile floor, foam frothing at the side of her mouth, veins dark from the electric currents that coursed through her body. She tried hard to get the vision of lifeless eyes looking back at her own, but it was too late.

“What have I done?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Sombra. She's a cool character and I like how her story flows, but in this story, I don't. Ah, the joys of working with Talon.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light at the end of the tunnel.

Life prepares you for most things, but not everything. How to survive, how to build connections with others. Things like communication, logic, sustainability. All things that are ingrained in a person from school and self learning. These are things that give people the ability to rise or fall to the pressures of the world. These were lessons that Bria held close to her, carried around in her tool belt. Through the highs and lows of life, she relied on this information and persevered.

Coming from a world of “Do good, be good” and “Be kind to others always” to a world where crime was king and doing the opposite of that was a struggle, but she tried her best to adjust and fit in. They asked her to do crazy things before, but she never thought that today would happen. She was ready to destroy someone’s information, muscle her way into strongholds and capture enemies alive.

But nothing prepared her for murder.

When they returned to base, Gabriel and Bria reported back to Akande. He did most of the talking while she struggled to compose herself, giving one word answers to his request. Seemingly satisfied, Akande closed Olivia’s file, placing it to the side of his desk before dismissing the two of them, giving them the rest of the day off to collect themselves. When they returned to their room, she fell to the floor on her hands and knees wailing. Gabriel tried everything he could to console her, but she refused his comfort.

She eventually cried herself to sleep on the couch, sniffling in between snores. The words ‘sorry’ and ‘forgive me’ fell through parted lips. Gabriel’s heart ached for her. He remembered the first time he took another life. He was in the Army then, and it was either him or the enemy. After the shot rang out and the person fell, he stilled. He wasn’t given enough time to let it sink in though, moving out quickly to join his team. He always remembered the face of the man he killed, but eventually, others followed. Soon the pain dulled away with life experiences. He thought of it as just another day, another job, another mission. Faces blurred as time went on. The pain eventually was forgotten. 

But this was so new. She wasn’t cut out for that type of work. He’s seen her take fists to the face and boots to the gut. He’s seen her take down men double her size with just a few steps, saw the way her face lit up when she cracked a secret code. He remembered the way she would confidently display blueprints for buildings and the way she offered information to those who asked for it, but that was as far as it went. When it came down to taking a killing shot, she always hesitated, leaving it for others to take it instead. He’s always known her as a meticulous woman who did things by her own rules, but this was a direct order that she obeyed, but wasn’t prepared for the results.

Carrying her to bed, Gabriel changed her clothes, sliding one of his shirts over her body, chuckling when it pooled around her waist. Carefully, he tucked her in then stripped down to his boxers, crawling into bed next to her, holding her in his arms. At one point during the night, she woke up screaming, her fists balling the sheets tightly in her grip. He woke up soon after, pulling her into his arms, stroking her hair and rocking her as she cried once more, wishing he had the power to take away the pain she was enduring.

-

Days passed, but Bria hadn’t recovered. She was able to return to work, doing her tasks as best as she could, but she was a shell. Any time her phone went off, she froze. She hoped that the message that came through was from Olivia, every phone call was her telling her she was alive and ready to kick her ass. But she knew better. She was reminded of that every time she closed her eyes and saw lifeless eyes staring back at her from her screen, haunting her dreams and every waking moment.

Gabriel tried everything he could to get her to eat, but when he put food in front of her or had her smell spices, she gagged. Bria grew tired of not being able to keep anything down. The thought of eating her favorite comfort foods turned her stomach. Shows on television made her heart ache. Growing concerned, he suggested that she go to Moira to get some form of answer, maybe even get something to bring her appetite back. After a few nudges, Bria found herself sitting once more in the doctor’s office, tired eyes following her around the lab.

“You’re not eating?”

“No, I can’t keep anything down. The medicine you gave me made things worse.”

Placing a hand on her workstation, she scratched her head. “Well, that is worrisome. I can draw some more blood, but in the meantime I have a shot that should help rejuvenate your system. I’m pulling you from your duties until you recover. Go outside, take a break from the base. It’s bad enough we all work where we live. People tend to forget to stop and enjoy the world outside. I know things have been… difficult for you, but I implore you to step away for a few hours and center yourself. Take Gabriel with you, too. I know he could use a breather as well.”

Nodding, she pulled up her sleeve. Leaving the building even for a few minutes couldn’t hurt. Maybe Moira was right. After her blood was drawn and her arm was bandaged, Bria stood, walking towards the door. “Thank you. Really, I appreciate it.”

Giving her the faintest smile, she turned back to her workstation, placing the vial into the machine, pressing a few buttons, causing it to stir to life. “You’re welcome.”

-

The two of them sat in the sand in comforting silence. Light fog settled around the area, allowing Gabriel to pull off his mask, keeping it in his lap. Bria pulled her knees to her chest, resting her head on her arms as she watched the waves crash against the sand. Seagulls croaked above them, diving into the water to catch their meal. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she brushed them away on the back of her sleeve, sighing heavily. Gnawing at her lip, she watched as one of the seagulls sprang from the ocean with a fish in it’s mouth. “Did I do the right thing, Gabriel?”

Fidgeting with his mask, he refused to look at her, feeling that any reaction he gave her would send her back to tears. For once, even he was stumped. “It’s what they asked for, so-”

“That’s not what I asked. I’m asking you if I did the right thing, not about if I followed orders correctly or not!”

“I know, I know. Ugh, I don’t know, but I gotta be honest. If she was really planning all of these things, then we needed to stop her before it escalated, before more people got hurt.”

Choking on a sob, she grabbed a handful of sand, letting the grains fall through her fingertips. “But she wasn’t supposed to die, right Gabe?”

He bit his lip, gripping the sides of the mask tight. She turned to him, her brows knit with worry when he didn’t reply. His eyes didn’t meet hers. Crawling to his side, she reached a hand out towards him, pulling away when he leaned away from her touch.

“When they ask me what to do with an agent they consider disposable, it usually means ‘get rid of them.’ Neither one of you knew about that location because it’s only known by the inner council, but when we need to get rid of someone, usually they go there. It’s a torture chamber designed for people who they consider to be difficult kills. They told you it was going to be as simple as frying her computer to the point where any information she had would be gone, but I knew better. God Bria, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Fat tears fell from her eyes as she moved away from her husband. Things fell together faster than she liked. He only mentioned going to Madagascar a few times, each time returning a member or two short. People she worked alongside went on these special missions, but she never fully understood why no one else was as hurt as she was when they ended up dying. She wondered how many people begged for their lives, how many he had to personally take out. The hands that held her so gently and comforted her when she needed it the most took lives. She knew he did dirty work, it wasn’t a surprise, but this was different.

This time, the blood soaked hands were her own and she hated herself for it.

“What the hell am I even doing here, then? The weapons I help fix, the plans I lay out, information I give to people… I’m a murderer. All for what? Just so we can say we are taking over the world?”

“Bri, no. It’s much more complicated than that. The things we do here may be different than how Overwatch did, but it’s just the same endgame under a different coat of paint.”

“So does that mean my father’s a murderer as well? How many people died under the guise of saving the world? How many families found out that their loved one wasn’t coming home all because of ‘justice’ and ‘peacekeeping?’ How many times has he attended funerals for people he’s personally sent to their graves? I’m no better than him.”

“Bri-”

“No, Gabe, please. All my life I wanted to do something good for the world. I thought my inventions would bring joy to the masses and save lives. When I got adopted and found out where Alesandro worked, I thought he was fighting the good fight. I thought that if I worked hard enough, maybe I could get a job there after school and create things to heal and help people rebuild who needed it the most. But then…

I wanted to do better than them. I wanted to be better than them. I thought I did everything right, went to school, got the job, bought a house. I donated to charities and created watches for people that could help streamline their lives, but those were just turned into weapons. Now look at me, knee deep in the sand, crying over a person I thought was my friend all because I killed her. You may have locked her in there, but I sealed her fate. I pulled the trigger. I pushed the button. I took her life!”

Tossing his mask aside, Gabriel pulled Bria up to her knees, squaring her shoulders. Cradling her face in his hands, he searched her eyes, trying to soothe the aching rift in her heart. 

“Love, you are not your father. That man was a narcissistic drunk who hid behind the title of boss all for fame and glory. He never gave a shit about anyone but himself until you came around. Truth be told, he honestly cared for you more than he let on, but he wasn’t meant to be a father. That’s why he always ran to the bottle or his assistant. He couldn’t face the realities of his role. When I came to Talon, I was angry. I lacked clear direction and honestly, I wanted to be everything I wasn’t in Overwatch.”

Grimacing at the bittersweet memories of his past, Gabriel sighed, closing his eyes momentarily before opening them once more, caressing Bria’s cheek. She leaned into the touch, sighing softly.

“They expected me to kill and do dirty work under the table, only to immediately blame any mistake they made on me and my team. We fought hard, we worked hard and long hours only to get thrown to the wolves. Here, I do less. My jobs are done quickly, and it gives me an outlet to really get dirty. Things I do here would never fly in Overwatch, and that’s why I love it. If anything, I’m a monster, but you still look at me as if I’m human, and that’s what separates you from others.”

Smiling, he placed a gentle kiss on her nose, chuckling when she bristled when his moustache tickled her nose.

“Your heart is so big, even managing to find the good in myself and others just like me. I’ve personally seen Akande crush a man’s skull with his gauntlet, but yet you still smile and joke with him as if this was a simple 9 to 5. The life of a criminal isn’t for you, but it’s the safest option for you, Giselle. 

With Talon, you’re guaranteed protection from other people who would have done much worse to you if they got their hands on you. Some of the members of the inner council are like that. Those are the real monsters. They see things differently. I just want to make sure that you trust my word and trust that I have your best interest at heart. I would never lead you into true danger. I would rather give my life up before I see any harm fall to you.”

Throwing her arms over his shoulders, Bria pulled him in for a soft kiss, smiling when his hands tickled her bare sides. “I know. I trust you, Immanuel, but this is hard. I’ve never had to do something like this. You’re right. I just have to trust you and know that no matter what, you have my back and I have yours.”

Booping her nose with his finger, Gabriel laughed heartily when she swatted it away, trying his best to avoid her finger against his nose. “You got it, babe. Now, let’s head back in. There’s sand in my mask and I’m sure you would like to warm up with a nice bowl of soup.”

Helping her to her feet, the two of them held hands as they walked back in, dusting off any remaining flecks of sand as best as they could before crossing the threshold. Unease still settled in her heart, but Bria tried to wish it away, hoping that things got easier from here. As they made their way back to their room, her phone rang. Moira urged her to come to her lab alone. With a kiss to his mask, she sent him away and headed towards her lab.

Sitting once again in the sterile room, she was stunned to silence as she held a paper in her hand, blinking a few times to make sure she read the words correctly. “But, how?”

She chortled, shaking her head. “I didn’t think I had to explain how one gets pregnant-”

“Not that. I know how that works, thank you. But we were-”

“Careful? Apparently not. From my calculations, the conception happened some time after you returned from your little escape party. That was what, a month and a half ago?”

It took her a moment, but the blush that crawled its way across her cheeks let Moira know everything. Handing her a bag, she helped her out of the chair. “Don’t worry, you’re only a little way’s along, so it’s easy to disguise. But as time draws closer, you may need to lighten your workload. Hopefully your husband will be understanding and this little ‘surprise’ the two of you made won’t drive him to obsession. Last thing I need is his overprotective ass running around hitting people who looked at you funny.”

Laughing, Bria cradled the bag in her arms, looking down at it, then to her. With a nod, she stepped towards the door, sliding it open. “Yeah, let’s hope he doesn’t do that. Thank you, Moira.”

“You’re welcome, now get out of my lab. I’ll see the two of you in a few weeks for your next check up.”

The door slid shut behind her, echoing in the empty lab as the latch clicked. Taking a deep breath, she looked over the contents in the bag. Prenatal pills, nausea medicine and folic acid, everything that a new mother could ask for. Sighing, Bria ran a gentle hand across her stomach, trying to see if she could feel anything different. To no surprise, there weren’t many changes outside of slight firmness to her lower abdomen, but that could easily be chalked up to eating. 

The walk back to her room was long, opting to take the longer route instead of a direct path. She passed by rooms full of laughter, agents walking side by side in full body armor and the faintest scream a few corridors down. The more she walked, the harder it became to even think about the life forming inside of her. Talon was a place for people who didn’t think of things like children and families. Sure, they probably had them, but she was sure it wasn’t a loving relationship.

Gabriel would be overjoyed to find out, but then he would probably lose his mind thinking of ways to keep the two of them safe. Most likely, she would be locked away permanently in her room after she gave birth. Most of the higher ranking officials had their own homes, only coming in to give orders, then jet off to exotic locations. Would they even be able to get that option offered their way?

What would the other agents say when she began to show? Would they try to harm her or her baby? What if they tried to set her up to get rid of them? They’ve done worse for much less, so the thought of having the upper hand against Reaper would be music to their ears. As she turned the corner to go to her room, her mind was fully made up.

She would escape Talon with or without Gabriel, no matter what.

-

With careful planning, Bria was on a drop ship with a few new agents to Malta weeks after her last mission. For the first time in a while, she was going to be with them as they infiltrated a warehouse to secure crates full of weapons. The drop ship buzzed with excitement, talks of how easy this would be and how many people they’d each take down echoed through the pods of people. They were still reluctant to talk to her, but that was fine. None of them mattered to her much. Instead, she rested, opting for a quick nap before the mission started.

Moira tried warning her against going now that she was nearing her second trimester, but she shrugged it off, saying that Gabriel wanted her to go. Of course, if he knew his pregnant wife was going to be in the middle of a firefight, he would have nipped that in the bud quickly, but the doctor knew better than to question what came out of her mouth.

As they approached their destination, the dropship shook and swayed with turbulent air pockets, giving them a rough landing instead of the smooth ones the newbies were used to in their practice runs. Reality began to dawn on them that this wasn’t training, and it reflected on some concerned faces that were soon hidden behind masks. Laughing to herself, she tapped the side of her head. Soon she was covered in light armor, her face hidden behind a reflective mask. Other agents looked at her in awe as she cooly stepped off the drop ship, flicking her wrist and holding up an outstretched hand as a light blade appeared above her. Two whips later, it rested comfortably at her side.

Turning to them, she leaned her head to the side, her laugh coming out distorted due to the voice changer on her mask. “What? Are you just gonna stand there, or are you coming?”

With that, The group of 20 lined up,following her lead. Behind her visor, she began executing her plan, jamming the comms on the ship, masking it under the guise of an enemy creating it. When no one noticed, she continued on, leading them to the warehouse. As they approached the door, they split up into groups, leaving four people to stay at her side. She heard shouting and gunfire, then an all clear from the rooftops. The commotion startled the guards on the ground. When they rounded the corner, two agents behind her fired on them, easily disposing of them.

The same thing happened as they cleared rooms. Things were going smooth, giving false confidence to the agents that tagged along with her. She stood back and let two of them clear one room, but they were immediately gunned down. Amethyst took the guards down with two strokes of her blade, then braced herself against the desk as an explosion rocked the building. Agents shouted through the comms before they cut off, the sounds of a room collapsing echoed through the hallways.

“Amethyst! This is Krin, we just lost Delta and Fire teams to the building collapse. The guards deployed drones! We’ll try to hold them off as best as we can but-”

As they were cut off, she smiled behind her visor, following the icons of the drones shooting down the agents on the rooftops. The two agents behind her grew quiet, standing closer together as the gravity of the situation kicked in. Turning to them, Bria walked by them, checking the corners to make sure the coast was clear before waving her hand.

“This mission is a bust. Let’s try to get out of here alive while we can. If you see anyone, call them out!”

They both called out in affirmation, following close behind her. Three guards barreled around the corner, firing on them. The agent to her left dropped to the ground with a thud, causing the one to her right to freeze where he stood. Reaching to her side, she pulled out a pistol, firing three shots at the guards between their brows, dropping them. She turned to face him, grunting behind her visor as she placed the pistol back in its holster, recalling the blade.

“If you keep standing still, you’re going to get killed! Come on!”

When he didn’t move, she grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards the door. Checking the map on her screen, she scanned the area, finding out quickly that they were the only two remaining outside of the pilot on the dropship. Tapping her ear piece, she tried calling for headquarters, but was satisfied when static echoed back. She tossed the device from her ear, throwing it at her side.

“They jammed the systems! Come on, let’s head back towards the drop ship!” 

Nodding, the agent followed close by her, ducking for cover behind a tree as the warehouse burst into flames from the explosion inside. Cursing, they scrambled to their feet, making a beeline for the ship when that too exploded, leaving them stranded and trapped between two fires. 

The Talon agent cried out when a bullet whizzed by his helmet, clipping the tree to his side. She stood behind him as a figure with a bright red visor appeared, gun pointed directly at his chest. He stammered, taking a few steps forward as he pointed his gun at him. Before he could fire, a bullet went through the back of his head.

Reaching down, Bria grabbed the ear piece, panting. “If anyone can hear me, this Amethyst. We are trapped here in Malta and have taken heavy fire from Ceras. Send back up imme-hey! Who’s there?! Wait, no! Please!” Dropping the ear piece to the ground, she kicked it around a few times before crushing it under her heel. She grabbed her phone, clutching it tightly before tossing it towards the fires.

With that, she dropped her signal, fully dropping off of Talon’s map and out of their hands.

Bria tapped her wrist, removing the armor, sighing in relief when the visor was gone. She ran to Jack, giving him a tight hug as the fires blazed around them, smiling wide when his arms wrapped around her back. Pulling away, he tousled her hair, hooking one arm around her shoulders as they left the area.

“Quite a show you put on there, BriBri.”

“Thanks, I learned from the best.”

Jack laughed, then stopped, narrowing his blue eyes at the cackling woman at his side. “Hey!”

Pulling at his arm, she pulled him along, trying her best to get away from the smoke before she breathed in too much. “Come on! Let’s get out of here!”

Sirens blared behind them as they reached the edge of the woods, stumbling out to a sidewalk. The doors to a van opened up, the figure inside waving them on as she climbed into the back seat with them, Jack taking the passenger seat. Turning to her side, Bria came face to face with Lena who immediately threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly. She didn’t know if it was from being around the fires or the jubilation of seeing her friend once more, but it didn’t matter. 

Letting the tears flow freely, she held onto her as they raced down the road towards a dropship, heading towards true freedom for the first time in years.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There she is

Three months.

It’s been three months and Gabriel still had no real lead into the direction of where Bria was. It’s as if she vanished after the botched mission. Every morning he was on base he would storm into the intel office with the hope that they had something new for him to look into, but each time he came back empty handed. After the initial search and rescue mission happened, Ceras was destroyed in three days. Buildings, accounts, agents, hideouts, everything was flipped inside out and wrung dry for information. Gabriel just knew they had her hidden somewhere deep down in a lab doing unspeakable acts to his love, but when he reached the last corner and found nothing, he saw red.

As time went on, he became unhinged, more careless with his actions. If someone approached him, they fell with a fist to their masks. He would often come back from missions covered in blood and other things. People feared him more than before. The inner council wanted nothing to do with him. After the third rogue attack on the inside, Akande sent him off on search missions just to get him off base for everyone’s safety. There he was free to feed into the anger and madness he’s been withholding for so long. There, he could finally become the wraith he’s struggled with keeping at bay.

There, the Reaper could run free.

Nights before his pickups were scheduled, Gabriel sat in the safehouse, scrolling through pictures on his phone of Bria, admiring her face and listening to videos where her melodic voice chimed in his ears and soothed his aching heart. He thought he did everything right. He kept her safe at his side, made sure she had everything she needed in order to be comfortable in Talon. He pulled strings and bent rules just to keep the two of them together, but one misstep separated them.

He blamed himself, ultimately. He grew softer the longer they stayed together, laxed on his patrolls. He didn’t fully check the mission, didn’t see who was going with her. When he found out she was on a dropship with a bunch of new recruits, he lost it. How could something so irresponsible happen? He trusted her word when she told him about it, but he had enough faith that it would be smooth enough for her to handle, but she hadn’t run a mission as a lead ever. Someone else should have been with her. Another agent who had field experience should have gone with them to ensure that nothing like this would happen.

Instead she was gone and he could do nothing about it.

So for now, he lay on his side, twisting the wedding band on his finger as he replayed the video of her laughing and running away from him while wearing a unicorn onesie he got her for Christmas. At least that way, she was with him.

-

Bria walked down the winding corridors of the barracks in Gibraltar, a bright green wagon trailing behind her stacked high with towels. She wasn’t as fast as she was used to, but that didn’t stop her from trying to help out around with daily chores and things that could help the others function in their day to day needs. Most agents offered to help her out, but she swatted them away, instead tasking them with something else on her list so she wouldn’t have to sit down.

She made her way to the gym in search of Jack since he didn’t answer his phone call. Always the impatient person, she wasn’t going to bother anyone else with her question but him. As she turned the corner, she bumped into a solid mass of a person, stumbling backwards. Before she could fall, a mechanical arm reached out, grabbing hold of her arms.

“Hey, woah! Try to be more careful with all that cargo, sweet pea!”

Jesse beamed down at Bria as she laughed, stepping back to let her fix her baggy shirt back over her bump. Brushing her coily bangs out of her face she sighed, looking down at the fallen handle on the wagon. Before she could grab it, he already had it in his hands, passing it to her outstretched hand.

“Thanks, Jesse. Sorry I ran into you! I’ve been so lost in thought that I didn’t hear you around the corner!”

“Well, that’s all right. I just hope I didn’t hurt the little one.”

Her hand ran over her swollen midsection, stopping every so often over a hard spot. “Oh, don’t worry about Belly Bean here! If anything, it woke them up from their nap. Wanna feel them move?”

Jesse’s eyes lit up, his human hand hovering above hers. Taking his hand, she placed it where the baby’s feet were, chuckling when he jumped to the movement. “Wow. It feels like a little jumpin’ bean in there!”

“Yeah, now can you imagine waking up in the middle of your sleep feeling those little pitter patters? Sometimes I stop and laugh when they have hiccups.”

“I bet. Wow, that’s wild! They probably got so much energy ‘cuz their momma’s so active.”

Moving his hand away, he moved the wagon handle to his mechanica hand, holding his arm out to her. She took it, patting it twice before they began walking down the highway. “Honestly, I’m trying to keep up with everyone else, but I’m so tired now. At least I’m not throwing up all over the place anymore.”

“I don’t blame ya. If I were in your shoes, I’d probably be doin’ the same thing. But I think everyone’s happier knowin’ that the two of ya are safe in base where we can keep an eye on ya.”

“I know, but it’s hard. I was so active before, so this slower pace has been getting to me. Maybe it’s for the best.”

As the two of them reached the hallway leading to the gym, Jesse stopped. Resting the handle on the towels, he turned Bria to face him, a mischievous smile on his lips. Warily, she took a step back when a bandana appeared in his hands. “What’s that?”

“Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna do anything weird. Just trust me, okay?”

“Last time I trusted someone, I got pregnant.”

“Now come on, I ain’t tryna do nothin’ freaky to ya!”

Laughing, she closed her eyes, letting him tie the bandana over her eyes. Grumbling, Jesse tied a knot around her bun, being careful enough to not tie her hair in it. When he felt it was secure enough, he turned her back towards the doors, guiding her towards the gym. People behind the doors opened them, letting the duo walk in. He could barely contain his excitement, shivering as he walked her towards their destination. When they stopped, her ears perked up to the sounds of multiple footsteps around her, shifting her weight between both feet. When the bandana came off, she blinked away her blurry vision, finally focusing on a group of smiling faces waiting for her reaction. 

“Surprise!”

It wasn’t much, but she saw multicolored balloons, streamers and a buffet of food behind her friends. Jack and Ana threw confetti into the air, letting the sparling paper bits float in the air. Lena shook two rattles as she bounced where she stood. Genji held one side of a paper streamer while his brother, a new recruit by the name of Hanzo, reluctantly held the other side, blushing from embarrassment. Finally, Angela appeared from behind one of the balloon stands with a cake in her hand, cautiously walking towards them.

With outstretched arms, Jack walked towards Bria, pulling her in for a hug. Rocking her back and forth, he kissed her head, smiling when her arms wrapped around his waist. “We wanted to throw you a baby shower/gender reveal since you’ve been working so hard with us. I know the past three months have been rough for everyone, but we really appreciate everything you’ve done so far.”

Pulling out of his hold, Bria looked at everything, the mini gifts set up, the cake, the smiling faces, then finally to the man standing before her. Fat tears fell from her eyes as she cried, holding her arms out for others to join in the group hug that Jesse started. After calming down, they helped her to the plush chair Ana pulled from one of the unused conference rooms, fluffing the pillow behind her neck and sliding a box under her feet for elevation. A paper crown was placed precariously on top of her head. With everyone settled in, they soon began talking about the baby and how exciting it was that there would be a new recruit arriving in years. People of course were careful to mention the child’s father as to not upset her, which she was thankful for. Before people dug into the food, the cake was placed in front of Bria. With a knife, she was careful with how she cut, not wanting to reveal anything until it was finally sliced out. With one deep exhale, she slid the piece out, dropping the knife in the process.

In her hands was a very bright pink slice of cake. She was having a girl.

-

Things at Talon were more hectic than before. Missions were being botched left and right. Without their usual information of what to expect, they had to revert back to their old ways. Agents were more hostile with each other, picking more fights and throwing each other under the bus in order to get the better missions. Akande was more on edge, wanting nothing to do with any of their drama and was quick to dispatch people to places he knew they would fail. After the latest group of agents were killed in a boating accident, missions were cancelled until further notice. 

Gabriel was no better.

He barely slept these days, opting to take twenty minute naps in intervals between jobs and meetings. He spent the better half of five months looking for Bria, but grew tired of the disappointment and the dreading thoughts of never seeing her again. His phone was destroyed during a stake out, which was good for him. He didn’t need the constant reminder of his failures haunting him. Her voice started fading in his memories, pictures he stared at fondly became blurred with other moments. His mornings spent with his fist in his lap, eyes squeezed shut as he tried to remember how she felt, how she tasted, how warm she was, wanting and craving the touch of his wife happened less and less.

Stalking the halls, Reaper barreled past a few agents who stood in his way. Doomfist had requested to see him in his office. Normally he would take his time with these summons, but his voice sounded urgent. It would be better if he just got it over with and did what he asked. Anything was better than sitting in his room drinking his day away. With three strong knocks, he was called into the office. Once inside, he took careful strides to stand by the chair in front of his desk, crossing his arms over his chest.

The man behind the desk tossed a folder across his desk, letting it slide to a stop near the edge. Taking the cue, Reaper grabbed it, flipping through the documents and pictures he saw. With a grunt, his clawed hand hovered over the photo of Soldier 76, scratching the glossy surface with one of his sharp talons.

“We have intel coming in that suggests he was the one who coordinated the attacks months prior. One of the agents we have in Ceras stated that she overheard a conversation between two members of their company talking about how he came in and met with their president for an hour before leaving. Then the attacks happened that night. Latest reports say he is in Austria trying to go after one of our shipments.”

“Understood. Anything else?”

“No. He should be alone. Dismissed.”

Closing the folder, Reaper left his office for the supply room. If he was going to run into Jack, he had to make sure he was well prepared for this fight. He stocked up on a few more bioemitters and a med kit. The one on the drop ships were usually depleted, so he took this time to stock up. After grabbing the items, he went to the smaller drop ship, strapping into one of the three seats and fell asleep. He needed all of the energy he could get for this.

When he opened his eyes next, the plane was landing in the outskirts of a small city in Austria. Normally at this time of night, people were settling into their routines, making dinner or watching television. Landing any closer to their destination would rouse suspicion. He needed the cover of the night to help him on this. The door opened for him, and soon he burst into a cloud of smoke, slipping through yards and alleys to get to the warehouse.

Approaching the building, he saw guards laying in piles around the perimeter. He was too late. Slipping through the open door, he searched rooms and hallways for any sign of life, finally hearing someone shuffling through boxes upstairs in one of the main staging areas. Solidifying once more, Reaper stepped carefully into the room, locating the familiar blue jacket he hated to see. Sensing another person in the room, 76 stilled, slowly reaching his hand towards his gun.

“Figured you’d show up here, Reaper.”

“Where is she?”

As he approached, 76 hopped the barrier of the walkway, landing with cat-like reflexes on the ground below. As he stood, his gun aimed directly at Reaper’s mask, making sure the laser sight aligned with his head. “I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

With a growl, he dissipated into a cloud of smoke, pooling around the other’s feet. Before 76 could react, a fist connected with his back, shoving him forward. His gun skimmed along the ground, clattering against one of the wooden boxes. Turning on his foot, his arms guarded his face from the barrage of punches that were aimed at them. Reaper’s steel toe boot swung for his side but met 76’s arm instead. Taking the opportunity, he grabbed his leg and flung his attacker to the side, throwing him backwards.

As he struggled to recover, 76 ran for his gun, dodging when a shotgun blast barely missed his hand. Rolling to the side, he sprung to his feet only to be knocked back when a kick to the chest propelled him into a box, splintering the wood. Reaper kicked his gun further away, ensuring this would be a hand to hand fight, the way he wanted it to be.

“You teamed up with Ceras on that botched mission in Malta. Amethyst was in charge of that, and now she’s missing.”

“Amethyst? You mean Br-” 76 was cut off by a punch to the face, teetering to the side. Two more connected with his chest and chin, sending him stumbling backwards. Before he could topple over, the wraith grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, one fist raised in the air.

_”Never say her name.”_

Spitting blood from his mouth, 76 laughed at his response, his periwinkle eyes leveling a snide stare at the black voids where his red eyes were. “Oh, that’s who you’re talking about. Ceras never had her. She left with me.”

Reaper faltered, loosening his grip on 76’s jacket. That gave the other man the advantage he needed, slamming his fist directly in the middle of his mask, cracking it down the middle. With a growl, he stammered back, holding his hands over his face, leaving himself open for a kick to the head. Collapsing to the side, he slipped into smoke before his boot flew down to where he once lay, moving a few feet away from him. When he formed again, the cracked mask was in his hands, blood pouring from his nose.

He spoke again without the same gravel Jack was used to hearing. “What do you mean she left with you?”

Jack smiled, placing balled fists on his hip, catching his breath as he spoke. “She left with me. Said she didn’t want to raise her daughter in a place like that. Bria needed help getting out, so I gave her one. After a few emails and one meeting for hush money, the mission was botched and the two of them were free.”

The old soldier expected many reactions from Gabriel. He thought he would be angry, thought he would absolutely seeth to know she was gone, that she didn’t die. What he wasn’t expecting to see was the shock in his eyes and the horror on his face as his words sunk in.

Clearing his throat, he spoke barely above a whisper. “b-Baby? Daughter? She’s pregnant?”

“What, you didn’t know? _She never told you?_ ”

“Of course she didn’t! If I knew she would have never met you there!” 

Panting heavily, Gabriel tried to control his breathing as rage built up inside of him. This whole time he thought she was being tortured. Instead she left him to go be with the people the two of them fought against for so long. On top of that, she had his kid with her. A child! With a shout, he burst into a cloud of inky black smoke, zipping out of the room and through the door he came in, his heavy foot falls echoing through the empty hallways. 

Jack watched the door for a few moments before tapping the ear piece, bringing the device to light. With a sigh, he spoke out loud, bending down to reach the gun he walked over to.

“You hear that. Bri?”

“I thought Moira would have told him by now.”

Checking over his weapon, he dusted off the scuff marks on the side of the metal. “That was your responsibility.”

Hissing, Bria rubbed her stomach, running her hands through her hair, watching the clock on the computer in front of her. “If I did, he wouldn’t have let me go.”

As Jack walked towards the side door, she cried out over the head set. Picking up his pace, he raced towards the side street he parked his bike, securing his gun to the strap on his back. “You okay?”

“No, i-I. I think it’s time, Jackie.”

“Shit! Hold on, I’m on my way!”

-

Gabriel couldn’t control his emotions on the ride back. He didn’t care that his mask was cracked and bloody in his lap. Didn’t care that the bewildered pilot couldn’t stop staring at him, even after he boarded and practically shouted at him to get the plane moving. Reaching for his phone, he sent a quick message to Moira for her to meet him at the airfield in two hours. Normally, they didn’t use that speed on the planes unless it was an emergency, but the pilot knew better than to question his demands.

Soon, they arrived back on base. As it landed, the door to the ship flew open. Moira stared at the approaching man, her hands crossed in front of her. When he stopped, she looked him up and down, then sighed, reaching in her pocket for a handkerchief.

“She didn’t tell you about the offspring before she disappeared, did she?”

“You knew? And didn’t tell me?!”

“It wasn’t my place.” She held out the handkerchief, jumping when he snatched it from her hands. “Besides, what point was there to tell you if I thought she did it herself?”

She was right and he knew it. He hated that she was right. Wiping his face, he hissed when he touched his nose. She passed him a new mask, watching with keen interest as he placed it back on his face, clicking it in place.

“I guess you’re right. Which means-”

“She’s due soon, if she didn’t deliver already.”

Squaring his shoulders, Gabriel walked ahead of Moira, planning his next move. With this latest information, he could use that to his advantage to stake out where they were hiding. He heard rumors of Overwatch getting back together, but he figured they were just that - rumors. Figuring that running into Jack and Ana in the past was a fluke, but now everything makes sense. The two of them stood near an elevator, waiting for it to go up. Usually they took the stairs, but after everything that happened, he needed to be in Akande’s office faster.

-

In the med bay, Bria was surrounded by nurses as her vitals were checked. She writhed in pain as a contraction came, trying her best to breathe through it as Ana instructed. She dabbed the young woman’s head with a wet cloth, praising her when she finally got through it, slumping against the pillows behind her.

“ _Habibi_ , you’re doing so well. Follow your body’s intuitions and move where you need to.”

She nodded, blinking heavily as the epidural began its work through her lower half. With shaky arms, Bria pulled herself up, moving with the help of one of the nurses to her hands and knees. Ana rubbed her back as another contraction hit, her body rocking back and forth through the pain. Angela walked in soon after, gearing up in her smock, mask and face shield. Adjusting the gloves on her fingers, she approached, sliding the small rolling tray with her tools next to her seat.

“Bria, are you feeling pressure?”

Panting, she nodded, sliding from her hands to her elbows. Her hands clutched the pillow in front of her, burying her face into it. “Yes! It’s so painful!”

With a smile, Ana pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail, bunching the hospital gown towards her swollen midsection. “Good, that means you’re ready. When you feel the urge to do it, push.”

-

Slamming the door shut to his office, Gabriel stormed down the hallway towards the airfield. Akande basically told him there was nothing more that they could do now that Bria was in cahoots with the enemy. She was now on their watchlist and was to be killed on sight, child or not. Seething, he raced down the stairs, kicking the door off the hinges once he reached the ground level. Another agent darted away from him, not wanting to get caught in the wraith’s crosshairs.

His phone began ringing but he ignored it, chucking the device against the wall, shattering it. As the pieces cascaded to the floor, he stopped when a large explosion went off on one of the higher floors above him. Gabriel barely made it to the exit when the following four bombs planted inside went off, sending him flying in the direction of the dropships and other planes.

Dazed, he lay on the ground, his vision blurry as he tried to focus on the screams and the sounds of the building collapsing into itself. As he sat up, the planes behind him exploded. He covered his head, shielding himself from the debris that flew around him. As he raced for cover behind one of the metal crates next to him, he thought back to Olivia’s plan to do the same exact thing. Realizing no one investigated the bombs or made sure Sufren would actually go through now that their intel was gone, he laughed sadly to himself.

“Guess you got your wish after all, Sombra.”

He grunted as he ripped his bloody sleeve off of his arm. Something must have cut him when he flew out of the building. Panting, he slid off the mask, dropping it to his side. Bloody fingerprints smeared across the bottom of it. Soon, he removed his jacket and gauntlets, tossing those in a heap next to the mask. As chaos went off around him, he slipped into smoke near the forest of the fallen base, destination unclear.

Back on the Gibraltar base, Jack raced through the hallways towards the med bay, startling the nurses inside. Before he could speak, they pointed him in the direction of a few rooms. He looked into a few of the closed ones, then stopped when he heard small cries. Jack took his gun off, leaning it on the side of the wall. With a knock, Ana and Bria turned to see him staring at the small bundle in her arms.

As he approached, Ana held up her hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Before you come anywhere near her, wash your hands and put on that smock.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Hands clean and clothes covered, Jack stepped carefully towards them, his fingers wringing together nervously. Leaning forward, he saw chubby cheeks and a tuft of curly brown hair. Filled with pride, he kissed Bria’s head, reaching a careful hand to the small balled fist holding one of her fingers.

“Jackie, meet Isabelle Gabriella Petras-Reyes.”


	21. Chapter 21

News spread fast around the world of the explosion at Talon headquarters. Stations around the world showed continuous feed of the burning building and first responders on the scene trying to find survivors of any kind. It didn’t take long for Winston to send a notice to everyone about the events. It was as if the whole reformed organization stood still as they looked on, catching bits and pieces of what the reporters were saying as others speculated to who was responsible for the attacks. Eventually, they began celebrating together after their jobs were done for the day, gathering around the television as the coverage continued.

Bria quietly watched the tiny screen in front of her as she nursed Izzy, trying her best to quell the bittersweet feelings that bubbled to the surface. Though she was no longer with them, she worked alongside most of the people who died. The big evil was gone, but so many people she knew were lost that day. After she was released from the hospital, Jesse offered to help out with the baby when he found her crumpled on the floor in tears, the video on her screen paused with the sight of the remains of Doomfist covered by a thin blanket. From then, he checked on her frequently, making sure she had food, bathed and had fresh linens on her bed. 

As the seasons changed and the base grew cooler, Bria took walks alone while Jesse watched her daughter, enjoying the brief reprieve from motherhood. She felt guilty that she wasn’t able to be the best mother for her, selfishness plaguing her at the thought that maybe if she stayed, Akande wouldn’t be gone, Moira might still be alive. All of those agents who even though she never got along with didn’t deserve to go out the way they did. Before her mind wandered to Gabriel, she would stop, taking deep breaths. His bloody mask and clothes were found out in the airfield, but she knew better. He’s cheated death before, he could do it again.

But what if he didn’t? What if he was in that room with them? They found a body near the base, but she knew better. It didn’t match any of his physical description, but the reporters didn’t know that. As they shared the biggest lie of this personal tragedy, she didn’t cry. After speaking with Jack, he agreed. Gabriel may have been many things, but he wasn’t weak. He would never give up so easily.

Silently, she sat on the bench near the edge of the cliff, eyes closed and hands tucked neatly in her coat pocket. As she listened to the waves crash against the cliffside, she didn’t notice the shift in weight of the bench next to her, nor the deep sigh that came from her unexpected guest. Cracking her eyes, she looked over and smiled a bit, closing them once more as she sat a bit straighter against the bench.

“How have you been, Genji?”

Smiling, he scooted a bit closer to her, fixing his gaze to a cargo ship not too far from their current location. “I have been well. I hope the recent news hasn’t been troubling you too much lately.”

“It has, but somehow, it’s been freeing. Of course I have immense guilt for leaving the way I did, but I did what I thought was best for my little family.”

Chuckling, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I know the feeling well, but maybe not as much as my brother has. You think that maybe if you changed one or two things, the actions you took wouldn’t have had such heavy consequences, but fate would have ultimately won.”

“I know. Sometimes, I wish I just told him what I was planning, then maybe we could have hidden out somewhere. It would be hard, but at least I would know where he is.”

“But that’s not the type of lifestyle Izzy deserves, and you know that. From what I remember of him, Reyes wouldn’t have wanted that either.”

Sucking in air through thinly parted lips, Bria squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the urge to cry. She’s done so much of that over the past year, shed so much over things that seemed so far away. Shaking her head, she turned her body towards his, resting her bent leg on the seat.

“I know, I know. But what do I do now? I’m afraid to use my own technology because it reminds me so much of the lives I took. I can’t be the best mother to my child because of my emotions, and it just seems impossible to jump back into things. Sometimes, it just feels like I’m drowning and I can’t get better.”

Genji placed his metal hand over her warm one, squeezing it gently. “The fact that you know you are suffering is the first step. You’re in a place where people know the real you. They see past what you’ve done and are willing to help out in any way. I don’t know much about children since I do not have my own, but if you need someone to help navigate your journey to healing, let me know. Even if it’s just an extra ear. I know McCree has been helpful, but he is a bit noisy.”

Chuckling, Bria nodded, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you, Genji. I’m so glad to see you around again. I know the last time we were in a room together, you were going through your own troubles. Now, you just seem… lighter. I don’t know if that’s the right word for it.”

“I am free of the burdens of my past. Outside of working here, I am also helping my brother on his path as well. Most of the others didn’t trust him when they found out what he did to me, but I wanted to give him the chance. The world already wrote him off, but I never will. Just like you, he is coping with his mistakes, but with a little help I am positive that he will get better.”

Just as she was about to speak, a door creaked open. The sounds of bickering crept closer to where they sat. The two of them watched Jesse and Hanzo walk towards them, one trailing close behind the other. Bria’s heart began to race when she didn’t see Isabelle in Jesse’s arms, but then stilled when her tiny hat peaked out of the top of the black cardigan Hanzo wore. She stood, holding her hands close to her chest, quickly walking to close the distance between them.

“Bri, I tried to warn him about wearin’ that shirt around Bear, but he didn’t wanna listen.”

“It appears that she is, ah, hungry.”

She watched the archer’s face, noting the blush that tinted his cheeks as he gently unbuttoned his sweater, pulling the material to the side, revealing her child trying to feed from him. Genji erupted in laughter, doubling over as Bria retrieved her baby from his arms, unzipping her own. As she adjusted her in the material, she tried to bite back her own laughter.

“Oh man, I’m so sorry Hanzo. When she’s hungry, she doesn’t care. She got Jesse with that before too, thus the full shirt rule.”

Clearing his throat, Hanzo averted his eyes, staring at the grass in shame. Jesse patted his back, pulling him in for a side hug. “Don’t worry about it much, Han. At least she likes you! She screamed her little head off when I first held her.”

Pulling out of the unwanted embrace, he glared daggers at the cowboy. “I didn’t want to hold her in the first place without the express permission from her mother! You just dumped her in my arms and took off!”

“I was goin’ to the bathroom! What, was I supposed to bring her in there while I did my business?”

“Well, no. But-”

“Exactly. You were in the lounge with us, I needed ta go, so boom.”

Catching his breath, Genji stood, rounding the corner to stand next to them. “It’s fine, Hanzo. The child is everyone’s responsibility, not just Bria’s. Unless she came up to you and said no, holding her for a few minutes is fine.”

“He’s right. I don’t mind if you hold her. She’s wiggly, but as long as you’re careful with her I’m alright with it.”

Hanzo threw his hands into the air, shaking his head. “That’s not the point! You don’t know me very well! You can’t just put your trust in a stranger you never spoke more than five words to!”

Leaning her head to the side, Bria rubbed Izzy’s back, fixing a strong gaze on Hanzo, causing him to take a step back from her. “You’re no stranger. You wouldn’t be standing here right now if we didn’t trust you. If your brother thinks highly of you, and if Jesse had enough faith to pass my _adamandia_ off to you, then that tells me everything I need to know about you, Hanzo.”

Furrowing his brows, Hanzo exhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he nodded. “Well, alright then. I’ll try to be more mindful of the clothing I wear should I be given the opportunity to hold her again.”

“You wanna hold her now?”

“No!”

-

Gabriel groaned as he sunk his tired body into the bed of his motel room. It had been three days since the last time he was able to get a sturdy shelter. For years after the demise of Talon, he went into hiding, opting to take trains and ferries under pseudonyms in order to get as far away from them as possible. To no surprise, small outliers formed once again under the same name, but they weren’t the same. Just like with Overwatch, Talon started over from the beginning. Their competitors rose to the challenge, battling it out with each other to take the place that they left, but he wanted no part of it.

When he ran into a few of them, he did what he could to dispose of them, stealing from their corpses what money and goods they had to sell off in exchange for safe passage away from where they popped up. Word spread fast within the small bands of a vigilante with salt and pepper hair who appeared in the shadows and killed their men. Rumors of the long dead Reaper began to swell, but they were just that, rumors. Reaper was dead. Gabriel left that behind, but he always knew it would be part of him.

Letting his mind wander, he went through his mental checklist of places he could go to next. Spain was a small island, even though the population was dense. Traveling across Europe did him no good. It was too risky to go back to America, and he couldn’t fathom the thought of going any further East. He carefully considered the thought of traveling across the ocean to South America when he heard shouting outside of his room.

As he sat up, the door flew open, letting a group of men with guns drawn in. Their laser sights set directly over his heart, fingers precariously over the trigger, daring him to move. 

“Don’t you dare move, asshole! You’re the one taking out our support, aren’t you?”

“You sure about that, Hernandez? This guy’s old. He doesn’t look like he could do anything other than complain.”

Hernandez grunted, elbowing his partner in the side. “Shut it. That’s him alright. I recognize his smug face from one of the pictures Tess sent me the other day before she died!”

Cracking his neck, Gabriel scooted to the edge of the bed carefully, his hands held up at his sides. “Now now, I was just protecting myself from your people when they tried to rob me. I couldn’t just let them take what little I have.”

“Who cares! You’re going to pay for what you did, bastard!”

As they focused their guns and began to pull the trigger, Gabriel dashed to the side, catching one of the outliers off guard with a fist to the jaw. The man stumbled into his partner, causing him to shoot three rounds into the wall. Hernandez shouted at the others to attack, but was caught off guard by a boot landing square in his face, slamming his body into the door. Using the opportunity, Gabriel darted out of the room, dodging the shots that whizzed by him. With a leap, he cleared the stairs, taking off down the pathway towards the parking lot.

Rounding the corner, he skidded to a stop when a van pulled up in front of him. The door swung open, letting out a group of men from the back. As bullets flew past, he dove in between two cars, reaching for the pistol he kept strapped to his back. When they stopped to reload, Gabriel peeked out of his hiding spot to fire off three quick shots, the bullets hitting their targets. As they fell, the men from his room rounded the corner, trying but failing to hit him. In an instant, Gabriel was behind them, firing off rounds at their backs, grabbing one of their guns in the process.

Tucking his pistol back behind him, he rapidly fired into the remaining men, walking slowly towards the few remaining ones scrambling to get back into the truck. Three precise shots to their light tires caused the vehicle to sway, knocking them around off balance. Firing off a few more bullets permanently stopped their escape. Finally, Gabriel exhaled, dropping the gun as he took off down the street, diving into an alleyway as police and first responders flew by him. Dissipating into smoke, he slipped through the chain link fence, hugging the walls close as he searched for a way out of the city.

He stopped a few streets over, solidifying once more in front of a motorcycle. Gabriel pulled out a small pouch, reaching in for a universal key he managed to find. With a little finessing, the bike roared to life. Hopping on, he revved the engine a few times then took off down the street, quickly finding the highway out of La Alcaidesa going south towards Gibraltar.

The journey took only a half hour. Producing a fake passport, he was able to get into the territory with ease, taking the side streets once he came to the end of the highway. It was as if muscle memory took him back towards this location. As he turned onto a side street, his bike hit a barrier, flipping him up and over the handles. Gabriel coasted in the air before slamming into the ground, rolling along the gravel road towards jutting rocks. He groaned as he sat up, his hair in a curled mess over his face. Scratches and cuts littered his tired body. 

As he went to stand, someone called for him to halt. With his hands in the air once more, he flipped his head, moving the waist length tresses that shielded him from his would be attacker over his shoulders and down his back. When red eyes met blue, he cursed.

“Holy shit.”

-

Fists pounding at Jesse’s door woke Bria and Isabelle from their slumber. Her arms shot around her daughter, pulling her close to her chest as it swung open. After a night of video games and movies, Jesse offered them his bed while he stood his watch since the two of them were too tired to head to their own quarters on the other side of the barracks. Panting, Jesse stumbled over the threshold with shaking feet, his hat clenched between his metal hand while the other held his key card.

“Bri, you gotta go to the interrogation rooms. Now.”

“Why?”

“It’s Gabe. He’s here.”

Freezing, Bria looked down at her worried daughter’s face. Comforting her, she kissed the top of her head, squeezing her tight as she rubbed her back. She moved off of his bed with her securely in her arms, making her way out of his open bedroom door to the living room, grabbing her sweater from the edge of the couch.

“But, how am I gonna-”

“I’ll watch Izzy, but you need to go now. Jack and Ana are with him.”

She nodded, kissing her cheeks a few times before passing her to Jesse. “Alright, momma’s gonna go down to see Uncle Jack and Auntie Ana. Now be a good girl for Uncle Jesse, alright?”

“Yes momma.”

Patting his arm. Bria threw the sweater on, fumbling with the zipper as she slipped on her shoes and ran towards the elevator. Her mind raced as it went down, wondering what he looked like now, how he managed to find them after so long, and what he was doing here in the first place. When she reached the basement floor, she stepped out, hastily walking towards the interrogation rooms. Before she turned down the long hallway, she stopped in front of a window of a dark room, fluffing her afro away from her face. Unzipping the jacket, she adjusted her tank top, tying the string around her sweats a bit tighter while she wiped sleep from her eyes and sighed. For so long, she wondered how it would feel to see him again after being apart for so long. How would she react to seeing his face? What did he look like? Has he aged? 

Would he be mad at her still?

Finally, she shook off the nerves and marched forward, fists balled tightly at her side. As she approached the door, Jack and Ana stepped out, mixed emotions crossing over their faces. They looked at her, then at each other. Finally, Ana stepped towards her, arms hugging her small frame tight.

“ _Habib_ i, are you sure you want to do this? Do you think you’re ready to face him?”

“Yeah, do you need us to be there for you?”

Nodding, Bria smiled nervously, flexing her fingers at her side. “Yeah, I’m alright. Jesse’s with Bear, so she’s fine. If you don’t mind though, can I have some privacy? You two don’t have to leave completely, but-”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be in the lounge by the elevators. That should give you two enough space to talk freely. If you need us though, hit the button by the door?”

“Wait, wha-”

Pulling Jack’s arm, Ana patted Bria on the back, walking the stumbling super soldier away from the area. As he stammered, she never relented her grip, continuing her pace. When they were just out of her ear shot, she let him go. Jack stood in front of her, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.

“Ana, what the hell?!”

“Jack, they’ll be in the room together alone for the first time in years. The woman’s been devoting her time to her daughter and her job. This is the first time she’s seen her husband face to face since the incident.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be close to them!”

“Have you seen her spending time alone with anyone else?”

“Yeah, she hangs out with Jesse and Genji, but-”

“Jack. Has she _been_ with anyone since she got here?”

“Yeah, I just sai- oh.”

With a knowing smirk, the sniper turned on her heel and walked away, leaving the baffled man to fumble through the thoughts. Groaning in disgust, he followed after her.

“Fine, but can we please crank the television up?”

“You got it.”

-

Running a hand through his long hair, Gabriel sighed. Being back in this room brought so many memories of his time before Overwatch’s fall to his mind. The months he spent running alongside the cliffs edge with new Blackwatch recruits, the after mission parties he stumbled around with his old crew through these very halls, the people he had to pull information out of in this very chair. Hell, it even smelled the same. Ana was kind enough to bring some supplies and a washcloth to him so he could at least get some of the grime off of his hands and body, but what he really needed was rest.

When the door clicked open and shut, he didn’t bother to look to see who came in, figuring it was Ana once more to question where he’s been. When they didn’t speak, he lifted his head up, eyes falling open wide in surprise when he saw Bria. She stood close by the door, one hand covering her mouth while the other held her midsection securely.

He choked on air when his name left her quivering lips.

Pulling himself up to stand, she held out the hand covering her mouth, halting him in his movements. “Wait. Just… wait.”

“Bria. I-”

“No, Gabriel. Please. I need to know how you got here. How did you know to look here?”

Chuckling, he folded his arms over his chest, leaning his head to the side. “I don’t know, honestly. I was on the run from some guys claiming to be Talon members when I crashed my motorcycle outside of the gates. Jack must have heard the commotion and came out. Next thing you know, I’m locked inside of this room.”

Furrowing her brows, she chewed on her nail, narrowing her eyes. “Talon?”

“Yeah, but they’re not the same. It’s mostly a bunch of rogue ex agents terrorizing small cities and towns for their money. I’ve been avoiding any run ins with them for years since I didn’t want to get mixed up with them anymore, but after I woke up in an alley with a gun pointed at my head, things changed.”

“You don’t think they-”

“No, they didn’t follow me. I made sure of that at least. Besides, this base has always been such a fortress. Most people think it’s abandoned, so they never bother to search for a way in.”

Taking careful steps, Bria moved to the table, sliding to sit on the edge of it. Her eyes roamed over Gabriel, noting the rips in his shirt and the old dried blood on it. New scars formed in places she’s never seen, but the tiredness of his face made her hold her breath. Smirking, he flexed his arms, pulling her out of her trance.

“I can take it off, if you want me to.”

“Gabriel!”

“I knew you were still a pervert.”

He laughed at her uncharacteristic shyness around him, his heart swelling as her cheeks tinted pink, hands trying but failing to cover her face. After he calmed down, they sat in silence, listening to the buzzing of the fluorescent lights overhead and the ticking from the clock on the wall. 

As he rubbed his hands together, Gabriel cleared his throat, his eyes training to hers. “Why did you leave me, Giselle? Why didn’t you tell me about my kid?”

The question she was dreading.

Twiddling her thumbs together, Bria looked away from him, focusing on the giant crack in the concrete floor below where she sat. “I didn’t think you would run with me. When I found out that I was pregnant, I got nervous. Things were so up in the air after that mission and Gamila’s death, my emotions were fried. I knew you would be more protective over me, and that made things worse. The last thing I wanted was to be locked in that place with a kid knowing at any moment someone would come to harm myself or her, or even worse, you.

Leaving on that mission hurt my heart, but I did what I thought was best for us. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, but I did just that, and I’m sorry, Immanuel. I’m so damn sorry. When I found out that headquarters was gone, it was as if I was reliving the same emotions I had so long ago. I thought I lost you for good this time. But when they found the mask and just parts of your clothes and I knew you were still around. It was only a matter of time before you showed up here with either guns blazing or a militia of angry people wanting redemption.”

Finally, she looked at him, her body still as he walked closer to her. “So, our daughter. She’s alright?”

Nodding, Bria slid off of the table, closing the gap between them. Reaching out a shaky hand towards him, his own touched her fingertips gently. “Yes. She’s perfect in every way.”

Grabbing her wrist, Gabriel pulled her in close, his lips crashing against hers with gentle intensity. Bria shook in his arms when he kissed her, her kisses sloppy as her arms ran down his chest greedily. His big hands rubbed and grabbed at her back, one sliding down the curve low on her spine while the other moved to cradle her cheek, his tongue slipping between her parted lips. Raking her fingers down his back, she paused when he groaned, pulling away from his lips to search his face for any signs of pain, but only found his lust filled eyes watching her intently.

Testing the waters, Gabriel slipped his hand under her shirt, callous fingers running over the smooth skin of her back. He moved his face to the crook of her neck, kissing over her pulse, his breath becoming labored when her fingers ran through his long hair, scratching his scalp softly. “I never stopped looking, never stopped searching for you two.”

Her eyes fluttered shut when his teeth nipped at the sensitive skin, raking her nails down the back of his neck to his shoulders, squeezing them. He gathered her in his arms, ler legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. “For so long I dreamt of this, your touch. The way you feel against me, god it’s like I’m dreaming.”

Leaning her against the table, his hands fell to her hips, gripping and squeezing at them as she rocked against him, kisses trailing from his jaw to his chin up to his lips. He rolled his eyes back when she took his lip into her swollen ones, sucking on it gently. Bria pulled away from his mouth, hands cradling his face in her tiny hands.

“Then make your dreams come true, my love.”

Gabriel groaned, his lips once more capturing hers in a fever pitch. Even though his body told him to go for it, something held him back. As much as he didn’t want to stop, he pulled away from her, his hand trailing down her left arm until it stopped over her hand. Hesitantly, his fingers brushed against the metal band on it, rubbing the cool material with his thumb and index.

“I can’t. Not if you’re-”

“I’m not. I didn’t want to damage it, so I traded it out with a cheap band I bought out in town. The ring you gave me is in my room. I’m still yours, till death do us part.”

With a smile, he pulled her hand to his mouth, kissing the thin band. Gabriel held up his own hand, showing off a sturdy black band on his own finger. “Till death do us part.”

With that, his hands fell back on her body, diving under the thin material of her tank top. Resting on her hands, she threw her head back when he bunched up the shirt with one hand, his mouth leaving needy kisses on the swell of her breasts. Curious fingers brushed over the thin material of her bra, pulling the cup down and over, revealing the pointed peak of her nipple. Capturing it in his mouth, Bria bit back a moan as his tongue skillfully worked over it, his other hand tweaking and twisting it’s twin. 

Her legs pulled him closer, giving her the needed friction she’s missed. Bria ground their hips together as she reached for the waistband of his pants, searching for the button. Pulling away, Gabriel tucked his shirt under his chin, hasty fingers working the button open and the zipper down, hissing when her hand slid in, grabbing hold of his shaft and stroked. Leaning forward, he rested his head against her shoulder, panting against her neck as she picked up speed.

“Wait, but what if-”

“Down the hall. I asked for privacy.”

“That’s my girl.”

As much as he delighted in the way her hand worked him, he stopped her, pulling her hand out of his pants and back to the table. Before she could retort, his hands were untying the tie on her sweats, tugging the material down to her knees. Gabriel fell to his knees, moving himself in between her sweats and legs. Bria bit down on the shirt to soften the moan as his mouth fell to her lips, his fingers parting them as his mouth fell over the swollen clit, sucking and rubbing his tongue against the swollen nub. 

When his finger slid inside of her, she shivered as she struggled to keep her knees apart. Gabriel pulled back, watching his finger disappear in her, his other hand on his dick, stroking and squeezing it. “Damn, you taste and feel so good, better than I remembered.” 

When she fluttered against his finger, he smiled, moving back in to drag his tongue against her clit. His other finger joined the first, stretching and pulsing inside of her. Her hand was in his hair in an instant, grabbing handfuls of the thick locs to steady herself as she bucked against him. Her moans became frequent, needy even while she watched him work her closer to her peak. Gabriel sat back on his feet, watching the way her lips twitched. With careful movements, Bria threw her head back, mouth open in a silent moan as her orgasm hit her with little notice. Picking up speed, his fingers matched her thrust while the hand in his own pants matched, lip bit between his teeth.

Catching her breath, she lowered herself against the table, chest heaving as she blinked slowly, eyes blurry from being squeezed shut so tightly. Gabriel hastily stood, pulling his own pants down to his knees before throwing her legs against his chest, one arm wrapping securely around them while the other lined him up with her opening. When she nodded, he slowly slid in, his moan rumbling deep in his chest. When his thighs met hers, he stilled as his head fell back, eyes rolling in bliss.

Soon, cautious and careful strokes became needy ones, skin slapping against skin as they threaded their fingers together. Gabriel pulled one of her legs out of her pants, moving the other to his side as he leaned forward, his lips capturing hers once more as he rocked into her. Bria wrapped her arms around his neck, gripping onto his shirt when he pulled her up, his hands cupping her ass as he slammed into her. Their moans echoed in the room as the two of them drew closer to their own ends.

Pulling away from her lips, Gabriel slowed down as he pulled her flush against him, grinding himself deep within her. Blissed out, Bria cracked her eyes open as she smiled messily at him, clenching her walls against him. He groaned as he adjusted his grip, leaning back slightly. Taking the cue, she moved her hands to his shoulders, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt before he pulled his hips back, snapping back into her with a blissful desperation that she missed. His pace became brutal but she loved every moment, that telltale coil in her belly snapping as she came, her hips bucking against his ministrations, driving him over soon after.

As they came down, he leaned the two of them back over the table, panting and kissing her cheek, trying to control his breathing. She licked her lips, throwing her arms over her head as her body began to relax. Gabriel leaned over her, cradling her face in his hands, kissing her lips gently before pulling away, stroking her soft skin with his thumbs.

“I’ve missed you, Bri.”

“I’ve missed you too, Gabe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo and his exposed nipple will always be the death of me.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We can't always change the past, but we can make the future better together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's complete! My labor of love! Thank you to everyone who's read this through the end. I know my writing style switched up a bit, but I was adamant to finish this. Here we go, final chapter!

Though it hurt her to leave him, Bria needed to. After all, she did leave Jack and Ana in the lounge with no clear direction of what to do next.. After she redressed, they kissed long and slow, knowing giggles rumbling deep in their chests before they parted. Slipping out of the room, she walked towards the break room, stopping by the same window to fix her hair and adjust her clothes, trying her best to wipe the smile off of her face. When she walked into the break room, Ana turned to her, giving her a knowing smirk.

Jack couldn’t meet her eyes.

“Did you two have a good talk?”

Clearing her throat, Bria nodded, tugging at the bottom of her sweater. “Yeah, things are better. I left him in the room since it wasn’t clear if he was good to leave or not.”

As she stood, Ana tapped Jack’s shoulder, pointing over her shoulder. Blanching, he shook his head, waving his hands in front of his face. “Oh no, I’m not going back in there.”

Crossing her arms in front of her, she narrowed her eyes at him. “If I can still look you in the eye after seeing you balls deep in Vincent, then you can go help Gabriel find a shower and some new clothes.”

Choking on air, Bria doubled over, covering her mouth to stifle the laughter that threatened to bubble over. With a groan, Jack stood, reluctantly walking past the two of them and to the hall. “Fine, but I’m not cleaning up the mess they made.”

“Don’t worry Jack, it’s all in here!”

“ _Jesus Christ on a bike, Bria_!”

The two of them laughed as he ran down the hallway, then turned to walk towards the elevator. Bria leaned against the wall, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. Ana watched the lights tick closer to their destination, the smile on her face still as wide as ever.

“I’m proud of you. It took me four years to tell Fareeha’s father about her existence. After we broke up, he left to go back home and we didn’t really speak until someone showed him a picture of her. You should have heard the way he yelled at me about it.”

“Oh wow, four years? That’s a long time, it's a surprise to know he didn’t find out sooner.”

As the doors slid open, the two of them turned the corner towards Ana’s room. “I made sure it stayed hidden. Things didn’t end well, and if I came to him any sooner, he would have only ran away. It was for the best though, their relationship is so strong now.”

Standing in front of the door, Bria grew quiet. “I hope Izzy isn’t afraid of him. She’s so used to seeing everyone else around her. I’m afraid that introducing a new person into the picture might throw things off.”

“Don’t worry. Children tend to know when someone is good or not. It might take a while, but she’ll warm up to him. For now, he’s going to be down in holding until we can talk to Winston to decide what to do about him. We can’t just throw him back out to the world, but we also can’t let him roam free.”

Kicking off her shoes, Bria stood near her couch as Ana disappeared into her room, returning with a towel in her hands. She passed it to her, placing a hand on her back to guide her towards her bathroom. “Yeah, you’re right. People might not take too kindly to another ex Talon agent walking amongst them.”

“Exactly, now go shower and change. I left some clothes on the bed for you to switch into.”

-

Word spread fast around the base of Gabriel’s return, most people were reluctant to set him free despite Bria’s pleas. His former co workers remembered what it was like to work alongside him, then how hurt they were when they found out he was working with their enemy. After a group meeting, Hanzo spoke on his behalf, asking that they at least give him a chance since they were so willing to give him one after the things he’s done to Genji. Finally, they agreed to let him be around, but he needed an escort with him at all times.

Bria was more than happy to provide that.

When the elevator doors opened for Gabriel, he stepped out, stopping when he saw Bria and Jesse standing nearby with Isabelle in his arms. Narrowing his eyes, he held her in his arms a bit tighter, only relenting when a soft hand patted his arms.

“Jesse, come on.”

“Just because you’re married to ‘em doesn’t mean I gotta play nice.”

“But this is his first time meeting her! If you’re going to be like that, then you can go.”

They stared at each other for a moment before he finally relented, releasing his hold on her. Scooping her into her arms, Bria brushed a curly strand away from Izzy’s face, tucking it neatly back to it’s high bun. Turning to Gabriel, she smiled weakly, tapping her arm and pointing in his direction.

“Hey Bear, guess who we found?”

“Dracula?”

Jesse hollered, slapping his knees as he doubled over in laughter. Gabriel groaned as he tucked his hair behind his ears. “Alright, this is going as soon as I can get a good haircut.”

Chuckling, Bria set her down as she crouched at her side, holding her close. “No, little one. That’s your father. Remember when I told you I had a big surprise for you?”

Furrowing her little brows, Isabelle turned to her mother, darting her big hazel eyes between the two of them. “That’s daddy? He looks like a vampire.”

“Bear, have you and Uncle Jesse been watching that show without me?”

“Now sugar plum, I told ya not to tell.”

Holding up her hand, she shot him a stern stare before turning her attention back to her daughter, clearing her throat. Gabriel walked towards them, stopping when she shied away from him. Rubbing her back, Bria stood while holding her hand, carefully walking towards him.

“Izzy, it’s alright to be a bit shy when meeting new people, but I promise he is kind. Do you want to say hello?”

Nodding, Isabelle let her hand go, taking a few steps towards Gabriel. He crouched down to meet her, holding out one of his hands towards her. She hesitated, then walked into his arms, giggling when he tickled her sides as he lifted her in the air. Curiosity took over as she touched his beard, running her chubby fingers through the groomed hairs. Placing kisses on her palm, he pulled her in for a hug, his heart melting when she wrapped her arms around his neck. Before he could lean his head against her, he yelped.

His head cocked to the side, one eye closed in pain while she roughly yanked at his hair. Jesse just about lost it, clutching his sides as he hooped in laughter. Full on embarrassed, Bria stomped her foot, balling her hands at her sides.

“ _Isabelle Gabriella_! Let his hair go this instant!”

The two of them stilled, turning their faces towards Bria. Izzy immediately let go, petting the spot she was pulling before wiggling her way out of his hold. When Gabriel let her go, she ran to Jesse’s side, hugging his leg. Scooping her up, they high fived, his face smug with pride. He pulled his hair back into a low ponytail, rubbing the spot she pulled gingerly.

“Isabelle Gabriella, huh? I’m not sure about your side of the family Bri, but she’s definitely a Reyes.”

“I’m sorry. She does the same thing with Hanzo and Reinhardt. Apparently, someone doesn’t want to go grab ice cream from the cafeteria since they want to misbehave!”

Turning a pointed stare to her daughter, she nearly cracked when those big eyes of hers filled with tears, cheeks pink with embarrassment. “No! I want ice cream momma!”

Bria placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head as she walked towards the mischievous duo. “I’m not sure about all of that. You know better than to pull people’s hair. We talked about that, didn’t we?”

“We did, but I was just doing what Uncle Jesse told me to! I’m sorry momma, I really am!”

As fat tears fell down her cheeks, Bria pulled her from his arms into her own, patting her back. “We also talked about making the right choices when someone tells us to do something bad, right little one?”

Sniffling, Izzy nodded against her neck, clutching her shirt tight. Rolling her eyes at Jesse, she walked towards Gabriel, placing a comforting hand on his back. Timidly, he reached his hand out to soothe her, smiling when she didn’t flinch at his touch.

“It’s alright, _muñeca_ , I know you didn’t mean it. Maybe we can talk about it over a bowl of my favorite strawberry ice cream?”

She peeked her head up from the crook of Bria’s neck, eyes sparkling with delight over the thought of the sweet treat. “I like strawberry ice cream!”

Placing a kiss on top of her head, Gabriel reached his hands out once more, smiling wide when she leap frogged from Bria’s arms into his. “You do? Well look at that. We already have so much in common! Do you know what momma’s favorite flavor is?”

Scrunching her nose, Izzy shivered at the thought. “Butterscotch.”

“Yep, she’s definitely my kid.”

“Did you ever doubt it?”

“Not for a second.”

-

Within a few months, Gabriel integrated back into the flow of things as if he never left, helping with training exercises and going on missions with others. Despite his reservations, Jesse eventually warmed up to the thought of not being Isabelle’s number one, though he was more than happy to give Gabe a run for his money when he babysat during the times they both had to leave.

Isabelle and Gabriel soon became two peas in a pod. Whenever he cooked, she was right by his side, passing him the spices he needed and pushing cut vegetables into bowls for prep. He even taught her how to make cookies, which they happily packed up and passed to people who walked by them in the halls. At night, the three of them would sit on the couch watching classic movies while they snuggled.

One summer morning, Bria and Gabriel snuck into her room with a plate full of pancakes and balloons. Rousing from her sleep, Izzy peaked her head out of the blanket cocoon she made, smiling at them before wiggling herself out of the nest, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Happy birthday Bear!”

Excitedly she shot out of bed, running towards her parents with outstretched arms. Hugging both of their legs, she backed up when the crouched down, dipping her finger in the whipped cream. The three of them sat on the floor of her room splitting the four stacks between them, asking her what she wanted the most for her birthday. Full and happy, she leaned back against Gabe’s chest, looking up at him.

“Well, I got my daddy with me now, which made momma happy. I don’t think I need anything else.”

Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her head, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. Bria kissed her cheek, hugging them both. After getting dressed and ready for the day, they walked to one of the training rooms that faced the ocean. The glass doors were opened, letting in the breeze from the ocean. Streamers and balloons were everywhere, a banner displaying “Happy birthday Bear!” hung over the closed bleachers. Izzy immediately ran towards Lena and Brigitte, leaving the two of them at the door. 

As the night wound down, Bria sat back in a lounge chair with a red cup in her hand, enjoying the quiet after such a busy day. Isabelle slept soundly in Reinhardt’s arms as he told stories to the others. Gabriel sat with Jack and Ana playing cards, his laughter booming through the room when Jack finds out he cheated in poker once again.

Sleep crept up on her, but she shook it off. Instead of falling prey to the comforts of the chair, Bria walked outside, breathing in the salty air deeply. Her arms wrapped around herself, one hand rubbing her arm while the other held the cup. Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Gabe approach with a plate full of empanadas.

“You doing okay, Bri?”

Looking at the food then to him, she laughed, grabbing the flaky treat and took a bite. She hummed as the flavors swirled in her mouth. “I am now.”

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her in close, kissing her head. She smiled up at him, capturing his lips with her own for a moment. Pulling away, Gabe smiled at her, his thumb caressing her side. He never would have thought that from the first time he met her all those years ago that she would play such a vital role in his life. Through all of the ups and downs, Bria was always there for him.

The darkness of his past still haunted him. Ultimately, he could never right all of the wrongs he’s done to people, nor change the path he chose to take. Becoming and accepting Reaper meant that he would never be the same man he was before the change happened. The scars that riddled his body were proof of that. He knew Bria struggled with her own choices, but she persevered through it all, climbing out of the darkness into the light, that smile he loved always on her face. With time, he knew the nightmares he suffered with would end. If they could for her, they ultimately would for him as well. Gabriel never thought redemption would happen for him after all of the things he’s done, but with time and healing, his cold heart was finally warm once again.

“Yeah, me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much again for reading!


End file.
